JP7112452B2 - SYSTEM, WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE, PROGRAM, AND COMMUNICATION METHOD - Google Patents

Description

The invention according to the present disclosure relates to a system, a wireless communication device, a program, and a communication method.

Patent Literature 1 describes a drone base station wirelessly connected to a backhaul node and functioning as a wireless base station.
[Prior art documents]
[Patent Literature]
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-521962

According to one embodiment of the disclosed invention, a system is provided. The system may comprise a terrestrial communication device having a connection that connects to a terrestrial network. The system may comprise a plurality of mobile communication devices each mounted on a mobile and in wireless communication with said landline communication device. Each of the plurality of mobile communication devices may have a wireless communication unit capable of wireless communication in parallel with the other plurality of mobile communication devices using a plurality of beams.

The system may configure a mesh network with the ground communication device and the plurality of mobile communication devices. In the above system, one mobile communication device among the plurality of mobile communication devices establishes a wireless communication connection with the ground communication device, and the plurality of mobile communication devices including the one mobile communication device communicate with each other. A wireless communication connection may be established. Each of the plurality of mobile communication devices has a position information control unit for detecting other mobile communication devices to which wireless communication connection is possible, based on the position information of the mobile communication device itself and the position information of the plurality of other mobile communication devices. and the wireless communication unit may establish a wireless communication connection with another mobile communication device based on the detection result by the location information control unit. The location information control unit transmits the location information of its own device to a location information recording server connected to the above ground network, and receives location information of a plurality of other mobile communication devices from the location information recording server. good. The system may further include the location information recording server. Each of the plurality of mobile communication devices has a route information control unit that manages a data transmission route based on connection information including information on other mobile communication devices with which the wireless communication unit has established a wireless communication connection. you can

Each of the plurality of mobile communication devices may have a plurality of beamforming antennas arranged to have directivities in different directions, and the wireless communication unit may select one of the plurality of beamforming antennas. A beam emitted from the head may be used to wirelessly communicate with another mobile communication device. The wireless communication unit may wirelessly communicate with a plurality of other mobile communication devices using beams emitted from two or more beamforming antennas among the plurality of beamforming antennas. The wireless communication unit may wirelessly communicate with a plurality of other mobile communication devices using a plurality of beams emitted from the plurality of beamforming antennas. The wireless communication unit tracks the mobile communication device of the communication partner by beamforming when the positional relationship between the mobile communication device of the communication partner with which the wireless communication connection is established and the mobile communication device changes. can be controlled to The wireless communication unit performs wireless communication with the first mobile communication device while wirelessly communicating with the first mobile communication device using a beam from a first beamforming antenna of the plurality of beamforming antennas. When the positional relationship with the device changes and the first mobile communication device is located within the beam range of the first beamforming antenna, beamforming is performed to move the first mobile communication device. and when the first mobile communication device goes out of the beam range of the first beamforming antenna, the first mobile communication device The plurality of beamforming antennas may be controlled so as to switch the antenna used for wireless communication with from the first beamforming antenna to another beamforming antenna among the plurality of beamforming antennas. Each of the plurality of mobile communication devices may be mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle.

According to one embodiment of the invention according to the present disclosure, a wireless communication device mounted on a mobile object is provided. A wireless communication device may include multiple beamforming antennas arranged to have directivities in different directions. A wireless communication device may include a wireless communication unit that wirelessly communicates with a plurality of other wireless communication devices using a plurality of beams from a plurality of beamforming antennas.

The wireless communication unit controls to track the wireless communication device of the communication partner by beamforming when the positional relationship between the wireless communication device of the communication partner with which the wireless communication connection is established and the own device changes. You can While the wireless communication unit is performing wireless communication with the first wireless communication device using a beam from a first beamforming antenna of the plurality of beamforming antennas, the wireless communication unit communicates with the first wireless communication device. and tracking the first wireless communication device by beamforming while the first wireless communication device is located within the beam range of the first beamforming antenna. and wirelessly communicates with the first wireless communication device when the first wireless communication device goes out of the beam range of the first beamforming antenna. The plurality of beamforming antennas may be controlled to switch the antenna used for the above from the first beamforming antenna to another beamforming antenna among the plurality of beamforming antennas.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a program for causing a computer to function as the wireless communication device.

According to one embodiment of the invention according to the present disclosure, there is provided a wireless communication method performed by a wireless communication device mounted on a mobile object. The wireless communication method may comprise performing wireless communication in parallel with a plurality of other wireless communication devices using a plurality of beams from a plurality of beamforming antennas arranged to have directivities in different directions.

It should be noted that the above summary of the invention does not list all the necessary features of the invention. Subcombinations of these feature groups can also be inventions.

An example system 10 is shown schematically. An example of the flow of processing by the position information control unit 120 is schematically shown. An example of the flow of processing by the position information control unit 220 is schematically shown. An example of the connection processing flow is shown schematically. An example of the functional configuration of a wireless communication unit 230 is schematically shown. An example of the configuration of the mobile communication device 200 is shown schematically. An example system 10 is shown schematically. An exemplary antenna configuration of a mobile communication device 200 mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle 20 is schematically shown. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining antenna control by the mobile communication device 200; FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining antenna control by the mobile communication device 200; An example of a hardware configuration of a computer 1200 functioning as a ground communication device 100 or a mobile communication device 200 is shown schematically.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Also, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the solution of the invention.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example system 10 . System 10 may comprise at least one ground communication device 100 . FIG. 1 illustrates two ground communication devices 100 . The system 10 may comprise multiple mobile communication devices 200 . In FIG. 1, four mobile communication devices 200 are illustrated. The mobile communication device 200 may be mounted on a mobile object. The ground communication device 100 and the mobile communication device 200 may be referred to as nodes. The system 10 may also include a location information recording server 300 .

The ground communication device 100 may be wired to the ground network 50 . Network 50 may include the Internet. Network 50 may include a mobile communication network. The mobile communication network may comply with the 3G (3rd Generation) communication system. The mobile communication network may comply with the LTE (Long Term Evolution) communication scheme. The mobile communication network may also comply with the 5G (5th Generation) communication scheme. The mobile communication network may conform to the communication system after the 6G (6th Generation) communication system.

The ground communication device 100 may be fixedly installed on the ground. The ground communication device 100 is installed, for example, on the roof of a building, but is not limited to this and may be installed at any location.

The ground communication device 100 may be movable. For example, the ground communication device 100 may be mounted on a vehicle and may be movable by the vehicle. The ground communication device 100 may be connected to the network 50 by wire, for example, at the destination. The ground communication device 100 may be wirelessly connected to the network 50 at a destination, for example.

The mobile object may be a mobile object that moves in the sky. For example, the mobile object may be an unmanned aerial vehicle such as a drone and HAPS (High Altitude Platform Station). The mobile object may be a mobile object that moves on land. For example, the mobile object may be a vehicle. The mobile body may be a mobile body that moves on water. For example, the mobile object may be a ship.

The mobile communication device 200 may be capable of wireless communication with the ground communication device 100 . The mobile communication device 200 may wirelessly communicate with the ground communication device 100 using beams, for example.

A mobile communication device 200 may be capable of wireless communication with another mobile communication device 200 . A mobile communication device 200 may wirelessly communicate with another mobile communication device 200 using beams, for example.

The location information recording server 300 may be connected to the network 50 and record and manage the location information of each node. Location information recording server 300 may be located within a mobile communication network. The location information recording server 300 may be arranged in the core network, for example. Location information recording server 300 may be located on the Internet. The location information recording server 300 may receive location information of each node from each node.

The ground communication device 100 may include a location information acquisition unit 110 , a location information control unit 120 , a wireless communication unit 130 , a route information control unit 140 and a wired connection unit 150 . The position information control unit 120 may be one component of the ground communication device 100, or may be one independent system. The wireless communication unit 130 may be one component of the ground communication device 100, or may be an independent system. The route information control unit 140 may be one component of the trackside communication device 100, or may be one independent system.

The location information acquisition unit 110 acquires location information indicating the location of its own node. The location information acquisition unit 110 may acquire location information of its own node by GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). The location information acquisition unit 110 may acquire location information of its own node by, for example, GPS (Global Positioning System). The position information may include attitude information indicating the attitude of the ground communication device 100 . The position information acquisition unit 110 may acquire the orientation information of its own node using, for example, a gyro sensor.

The location information acquisition unit 110 may notify the location information control unit 120 and the wireless communication unit 130 of the location information of the own node in response to detecting a change in the location information of the own node. Note that the location information acquisition unit 110 may periodically notify the location information of its own node to the location information control unit 120 and the wireless communication unit 130 . For example, the location information acquisition unit 110 may acquire the location information of its own node according to a predetermined cycle, and notify the location information control unit 120 and the wireless communication unit 130 of it.

The location information control unit 120 may perform control related to the location information of its own node. For example, the position information control section 120 may record the position information notified from the position information acquisition section 110 in the recording section. In the present embodiment, a case where the position information control unit 120, the wireless communication unit 130, and the route information control unit 140 use their respective recording units will be described as an example. 120, wireless communication unit 130, and route information control unit 140 may use a common recording unit provided in trackside communication device 100. FIG.

The location information control unit 120 may notify the location information recording server 300 of the location information of its own node. The position information control unit 120 may transmit the position information of its own node to the position information recording server 300 each time the position information of its own node changes. Note that the position information control unit 120 may periodically notify the position information recording server 300 of the position information of its own node. For example, the location information control unit 120 may notify the location information recording server 300 of the location information of its own node according to a predetermined cycle.

The location information control unit 120 may acquire location information of other nodes and record it in the recording unit. The location information control unit 120 may receive location information of other nodes from the location information recording server 300 . For example, when the position information of any of the plurality of nodes it manages changes, the position information recording server 300 notifies the plurality of nodes it manages by broadcasting the changed position information. You can

The position information control unit 120 may detect other nodes to which wireless communication connection is possible based on the position information of the own node and the position information of the other nodes. For example, the position information control unit 120 may detect other nodes that are shorter than a predetermined threshold value as other nodes to which wireless communication connection is possible. The threshold may be determined based on the wireless communicable distance of the mobile communication device 200 . The position information control section 120 may notify the wireless communication section 130 of the determination result.

The wireless communication unit 130 may be capable of wireless communication with other nodes. The radio communication unit 130 may be capable of radio communication with other nodes using beams. The radio communication unit 130 may be capable of radio communication with a plurality of other nodes in parallel using a plurality of beams. That is, the wireless communication unit 130 may be capable of wireless communication with a plurality of other nodes at the same time.

The wireless communication unit 130 may establish a wireless communication connection with another node based on the detection result by the location information control unit 120 . The wireless communication unit 130 may control the antenna based on the location information of the own node and the location information of the other node so that the wireless communication connection with the other node is not disconnected. Examples of antenna control include directivity control of beam forming, switching control of a plurality of antennas, and the like. The wireless communication unit 130 may notify the location information control unit 120 and the route information control unit 140 of connection information including information on the other node with which the wireless communication connection has been established.

The route information control unit 140 may manage the data transmission route based on the connection information notified from the wireless communication unit 130 . The route information control unit 140 may use a route table to manage data transmission routes. The route table may be a routing table. The route information control unit 140 may update the route table according to the change in the connection relationship by the wireless communication unit 130 . The route information control unit 140 may determine the data transmission route in its own node based on the route table and control the data flow. The route information control unit 140 may be configured by existing switches, routers, and the like.

The wired connection unit 150 may be wired to the network 50 . The wired connection unit 150 may be connected to the network 50 via an optical fiber, a metal cable, or the like.

The mobile communication device 200 may include a location information acquisition section 210 , a location information control section 220 , a wireless communication section 230 and a route information control section 240 . The location information control unit 220 may be one component of the mobile communication device 200, or may be one independent system. The wireless communication unit 230 may be one component of the mobile communication device 200, or may be an independent system. The route information control unit 240 may be one component of the mobile communication device 200, or may be one independent system.

Like the position information acquisition unit 110, the position information acquisition unit 210 may acquire position information indicating the position of its own node. Like the position information acquisition unit 110, the position information acquisition unit 210 may notify the position information control unit 220 and the wireless communication unit 230 of the position information of its own node.

Like the position information control unit 120, the position information control unit 220 may perform control related to the position information of its own node. Note that the position information control unit 220 may acquire the position information of the other node and record it in the recording unit, similarly to the position information control unit 120 . Thereby, the location information control unit 220 can reduce the number of times of acquiring the location information of the other nodes from the location information recording server 300 in order to form or maintain the network. That is, the system 10 according to one embodiment may reduce the likelihood of communication delays.

The position information control unit 220 may detect other nodes to which wireless communication connection is possible based on the position information of the own node and the position information of the other nodes. The position information control section 220 may notify the wireless communication section 230 of the determination result. Note that the location information control unit 220 may detect other nodes using the same technique as the location information control unit 120 .

The wireless communication unit 230 may be capable of wireless communication with other nodes. The radio communication unit 230 may be capable of radio communication with a plurality of other nodes in parallel using a plurality of beams. That is, the wireless communication unit 230 may be capable of wireless communication with a plurality of other nodes at the same time. This allows system 10 according to one embodiment to adjust network capacity. That is, the system 10 according to one embodiment can increase or decrease network capacity as needed. Note that the wireless communication unit 230 may be able to wirelessly communicate with other nodes using the same technique as the wireless communication unit 130 .

The wireless communication section 230 may establish a wireless communication connection with another node based on the detection result by the location information control section 220 . The wireless communication unit 230 may control the antenna based on the location information of its own node and the location information of the other node so as not to disconnect the wireless communication connection with the other node. The wireless communication unit 230 may notify the location information control unit 220 and the route information control unit 240 of connection information including information on the other node with which the wireless communication connection has been established. Note that the wireless communication unit 230 may establish a wireless communication connection with another node using the same method as that used by the wireless communication unit 130 .

The route information control unit 240 may manage the data transmission route based on the connection information notified from the wireless communication unit 230 . The route information control unit 240 may determine the data transmission route in its own node based on, for example, a route table, and control the data flow. As a result, the system 10 according to one embodiment can refer to the route information and reconstruct the transfer route when the wireless communication connection is lost between certain nodes. That is, the system 10 according to one embodiment can relatively easily reconstruct transmission paths in a mesh network. Note that the route information control unit 240 may manage data transmission routes using the same technique as the route information control unit 140 .

In the system 10, one mobile communication device 200 among a plurality of mobile communication devices 200 establishes a wireless communication connection with the ground communication device 100, and a plurality of mobile communication devices including the one mobile communication device 200 is established. 200 may establish a wireless communication connection with each other to form a mesh network. Conventionally, wireless communication connections between communication devices mounted on mobile bodies are more likely to become unstable or disconnected as the mobile body moves, compared to fixed communication devices. On the other hand, according to the system 10 according to one embodiment, redundancy can be ensured by forming a mesh network. That is, the system 10 according to one embodiment can reduce the possibility of becoming unstable or being disconnected due to the movement of the mobile object.

Specifically, for example, in a mesh network, the system 10 selects another route even if the wireless communication connection on one route becomes unstable or disconnected, or if the antenna fails. By doing so, the wireless communication connection can be maintained. For example, the system 10 according to one embodiment may select a route with relatively stable communication to perform communication. Also, for example, the system 10 according to one embodiment may perform communication by selecting a route that can be connected in the other direction than the failed antenna. Also, for example, the system 10 according to one embodiment may select a route in a direction other than the direction in which an obstacle such as a bird exists to perform communication. In addition, the system 10 according to one embodiment can easily maintain the overall wireless communication connection by changing the connection destination, etc., when one of the plurality of mobile units that make up the mesh network leaves. We can make it possible.

FIG. 2 schematically shows an example of the flow of processing by the position information control unit 120. As shown in FIG. The system 10 according to one embodiment may detect other nodes that can be wirelessly connected to the own node based on the location information of each node. The processing shown in FIG. 2 may be started when power is supplied to the position information control unit 120 . Each process may be executed mainly by the position information control unit 120 .

In step (the step may be abbreviated as S) 102, the position information control unit 120 determines whether or not the power is turned on for the first time. If it is determined that it is the first time, the process proceeds to S104, and if it is determined that it is not the first time, the process proceeds to S106.

In S104, the position information control unit 120 acquires the position information of each node from the position information recording server 300 and records it in the recording unit. In S106, the location information control unit 120 determines whether or not the location information of other nodes has been updated. The location information control unit 120 may determine whether or not there is an update by inquiring of the location information recording server 300 . If it is determined that there is an update, the process proceeds to S108, and if it is determined that there is no update, the process proceeds to S110. In S<b>108 , the position information control unit 120 acquires the position information of the other node whose position information has been updated from the position information recording server 300 .

In S<b>110 , the location information control unit 120 acquires the location information of its own node from the location information acquisition unit 110 and transmits it to the wireless communication unit 130 . In S112, the location information control unit 120 determines whether it is the first time the power is turned on, or whether the location information of its own node is different from the previously acquired location. If the distance between the position indicated by the previously obtained position information and the position indicated by the position information obtained in S110 is different from a predetermined threshold value, the position information control unit 120 may determine that the distance is different from the previously obtained position. . For example, if the distance between the position indicated by the previously obtained position information and the position indicated by the position information obtained in S110 is longer or shorter than a predetermined threshold value, the position information control unit 120 determines that they are different. good. If it is determined that the power is turned on for the first time, or if the location information of the own node is different from the previously acquired location, the process proceeds to S114. In S<b>114 , the location information of the own node is transmitted to the location information recording server 300 .

In S116, the position information control unit 120 derives the positional relationship with each node based on the position information recorded in the recording unit, and detects nodes that can be wirelessly connected. In S118, the currently connected node information is acquired from the wireless communication unit 130, and if there is a difference from the connection node information in the recording unit, the connection node information in the recording unit is updated. Node information may include, for example, node identification information. The node information may include, for example, communication quality information between connected nodes. The node information may include, for example, information on the amount of traffic between connected nodes.

In S120, the location information control unit 120 determines whether or not the wirelessly connectable node detected in S116 is new. If it is determined to be new, the process proceeds to S122, and if it is determined to be not new, the process proceeds to S124. In S<b>122 , the wirelessly connectable new node and its location information are transmitted to the wireless communication unit 130 . For example, when the detected node is a node newly connected to the mesh network, the location information control unit 120 may determine it as a new node. For example, if the detected node is a node that has left the mesh network in order to charge the mobile communication device 200 and is to be connected to the mesh network again, the location information control unit 120 detects a new node. node.

In S124, the position information control unit 120 determines whether or not there is any other connected node whose position information has changed. If it is determined that there is, the process proceeds to S126. In S<b>126 , the position information of the node whose position information has changed is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 130 . The position information control unit 120 may end the above process when an instruction to stop the above process is received or when the power supply is stopped.

FIG. 3 schematically shows an example of the flow of processing by the position information control section 220. As shown in FIG. The system 10 according to one embodiment may form a mesh network based on the location information of each node. Also, the system 10 may control the position of the mobile communication device 200, for example, based on the position information of each node. The processing shown in FIG. 3 can be started at arbitrary timing. Each process may be executed mainly by the position information control unit 220 .

In S<b>202 , the location information control unit 220 determines whether or not it has already been connected to a wireless network formed by a plurality of mobile communication devices 200 . If it is determined that the connection has been established, the process proceeds to S204, and if it is determined that the connection has not been completed, the process proceeds to S208.

In S204, the location information control unit 220 determines whether or not the location information of other nodes has been updated. The location information control unit 220 may determine whether or not there is an update by inquiring of the location information recording server 300 . If it is determined that there is an update, the process proceeds to S206, and if it is determined that there is no update, the process proceeds to S212. In S<b>206 , the position information control unit 220 acquires the position information of the other node whose position information has been updated from the position information recording server 300 .

In S208, the position information control unit 220 determines whether or not there is an external network such as a communication satellite. If it is determined that there is, the process proceeds to S210, and if it is determined that there is no, the process proceeds to S218. In S210, the position information control unit 220 acquires the position information of each node from the position information recording server 300 via the external network.

In S<b>212 , the location information of the own node is acquired from the location information acquisition unit 210 and transmitted to the wireless communication unit 230 . In S214, the location information control unit 220 determines whether it is the first time the power is turned on, or whether the location information of its own node is different from the previously acquired location. If the distance between the position indicated by the previously obtained position information and the position indicated by the position information obtained in S206 is different from a predetermined threshold value, the position information control unit 220 may determine that the position is different from the previously obtained position. . For example, if the distance between the position indicated by the position information acquired last time and the position indicated by the position information acquired in S212 is longer or shorter than a predetermined threshold, the position information control unit 220 determines that they are different. good. If it is determined that the power is turned on for the first time, or if the location information of the own node is different from the previously obtained location, the process proceeds to S216. In S<b>216 , the location information control unit 220 transmits the location information of its own node to the location information recording server 300 .

In S218, the position information control unit 220 determines whether or not there is preset position information of each node in the recording unit. Such location information can be set by an administrator or the like of the system 10, for example, before a mobile object equipped with the mobile communication device 200 starts moving. If it is determined that there is, the process proceeds to S220, and if it is determined that there is no, error processing is executed and this process ends. The error processing may be, for example, instructing a moving body equipped with the mobile communication device 200 to move to a preset home position.

In S222, the position information control unit 220 derives the positional relationship with each node based on the position information recorded in the recording unit, and detects nodes that can be wirelessly connected. In S224, it is determined whether or not a wirelessly connectable node has been detected. If it is determined that it is detected, the process proceeds to S226, and if it is determined that it is not detected, it proceeds to S236. In S226, the position information control unit 220 acquires the currently connected node information from the wireless communication unit 230, and if there is a difference from the connection node information in the recording unit, updates the connection node information in the recording unit.

In S228, the location information control unit 220 determines whether or not the wirelessly connectable node detected in S222 is new. If it is determined to be new, the process proceeds to S230, and if it is determined to be not new, the process proceeds to S232. In S230, the location information control unit 220 transmits to the wireless communication unit 230 the wirelessly connectable new node and its location information. For example, when the detected node is a node newly connected to the mesh network, the location information control unit 220 may determine it as a new node. In addition, the position information control unit 220, for example, when the detected node is a node that has left the mesh network in order to charge the mobile communication device 200 and is a node that is to be connected to the mesh network again, the new node.

In S232, the location information control unit 220 determines whether or not there is any other connected node whose location information has changed. If it is determined that there is, the process proceeds to S234. In S<b>234 , position information control section 220 transmits the position information of the node whose position information has changed to wireless communication section 230 . In S236, the position information control unit 220 executes connection processing between its own node and other nodes. The position information control unit 220 may end the above process when an instruction to stop the above process is received or when the power supply is stopped.

FIG. 4 schematically shows an example of the flow of connection processing. In S302, the moving body equipped with the mobile communication device 200 moves to a position where it can be wirelessly connected to another node. The position information control unit 220 may transmit information indicating a destination to the mobile object. A mobile unit may move to a position where it can wirelessly connect to another node according to this information. The position information control unit 220, for example, refers to the position information in the recording unit, specifies the closest other node to the position of the own node, and determines the position within the wireless communication range of the other node as the movement destination. good. It should be noted that S302 may be omitted if the mobile unit is already in a position where it can be wirelessly connected to another node.

In S<b>304 , the location information control unit 220 transmits the connection target node and its location information identified in S<b>302 to the wireless communication unit 230 . In S306, the position information control unit 220 waits. The location information control unit 220 may wait for connection of other nodes for a certain period of time.

In S<b>308 , the location information control unit 220 acquires the currently connected node information from the wireless communication unit 230 . If there is a difference from the connection node information in the recording unit, the position information control unit 220 may update the connection node information in the recording unit. In S310, the position information control unit 220 determines whether or not there is a connected node. If it is determined that there is, the position information control unit 220 ends the connection process, and if it is determined that there is no, the process may proceed to S312.

In the system 10 according to one embodiment, the number of times the mobile communication devices 200 can attempt to establish a connection (remaining number of retry attempts) may be set in advance. In S312, the position information control unit 220 determines whether or not the preset connection retry remaining number is 1 or more. If it is determined to be 1 or more, 1 is subtracted from the connection retry remaining number, and the process returns to S302. If it is determined that the number is not equal to or greater than 1, error processing is executed and the processing shown in FIG. 3 is terminated.

The remaining number of connection retries may be set arbitrarily and may be changed. The system 10 according to one embodiment can limit the number of retries by setting the remaining number of connection retries. That is, the system 10 according to one embodiment can, for example, try to establish a connection within a realistic time range and stop processing if a connection destination cannot be found. Thereby, the system 10 according to an embodiment may reduce wasteful consumption of energy.

FIG. 5 schematically shows an example of the functional configuration of the wireless communication unit 230. As shown in FIG. The radio communication section 230 may comprise an inter-node radio control section 242 , a plurality of inter-node radio communication sections 244 and an antenna system 246 .

The internode wireless communication unit 244 may establish a wireless communication connection with the internode wireless communication unit 244 of another node to perform data communication. The internode wireless communication unit 244 enables wireless communication connection in cooperation with the antenna system 246 based on the location information of its own node and the location information of the connection destination node transmitted via the internode wireless control unit 242. can be maintained as long as possible. The inter-node wireless communication unit 244 may notify the inter-node wireless control unit 242 when the wireless communication connection is disconnected.

The inter-node wireless control unit 242 may manage line connections and wireless resources of the inter-node wireless communication unit 244 . The inter-node wireless control unit 242 may instruct the inter-node wireless communication unit 244 to establish a connection based on the connectable node information and the wireless resource information from the position information control unit 220 . The inter-node wireless control unit 242 may notify the inter-node wireless communication unit 244 of the connection target node, the location information of the own node, and the location information of the other nodes as information necessary for connection. The inter-node wireless control unit 242 grasps the wireless connection status of each of the plurality of inter-node wireless communication units 244, and notifies the position information control unit 220 and the route information control unit 240 of the node information of the wireless connection destination. good.

Antenna system 246 may include multiple beamforming antennas arranged to be directional in different directions. Thereby, the system 10 according to one embodiment may extend the wireless communication range. Each of the plurality of internode wireless communication units 244 may use each of the plurality of beamforming antennas. The wireless communication unit 230 may wirelessly communicate with other nodes using beams emitted from at least one of a plurality of beamforming antennas. The wireless communication unit 230 may wirelessly communicate with a plurality of other nodes in parallel, for example, using a plurality of beams emitted from a plurality of beamforming antennas.

When the location information of its own node is notified from the location information control unit 220, the inter-node wireless control unit 242 may notify the location information of its own node to the inter-node wireless communication unit 244 currently connected to the other node. . The node-to-node wireless communication unit 244 that has received the notification may maintain wireless connection with other nodes based on the location information of its own node. The inter-node wireless communication unit 244 may control the antenna system 246 based on the location information of its own node, for example. The inter-node wireless communication unit 244 may maintain wireless connection by, for example, performing antenna selection for the antenna system 246 or performing beam direction control as necessary based on the location information of its own node. Specifically, the internode wireless communication unit 244 may perform antenna selection or beam direction control, for example, so that the communication strength between the self node and the other node is increased.

When the location information of the other node connected to the own node is notified from the location information control unit 220, the inter-node wireless control unit 242 transmits the location information of the other node being connected to the currently connected inter-node wireless communication unit. H.244 may be notified. The node-to-node wireless communication unit 244 that has received the notification selects the antenna of the antenna system 246 as necessary from the position information of the other node being connected, performs beam direction control, and establishes the wireless connection. may be maintained.

When the position information control unit 220 notifies the inter-node radio control unit 242 of the connectable node information (including the position information), the inter-node radio control unit 242 sets the line connection status, usage status, and device number of the plurality of inter-node radio communication units 244 to numerical values. You can check the free resource status by changing to The node-to-node wireless control unit 242 may determine the node-to-node wireless communication unit 244 to establish a wireless communication connection with another node based on the available resource status. The inter-node wireless control unit 242 may determine the priority of establishing wireless communication connections based on the availability of resources. Thereby, the system 10 according to one embodiment can preferentially set a path with good communication quality. That is, the system 10 according to one embodiment can improve the quality of the entire mesh network.

The inter-node radio control unit 242 may determine the priority in descending order of available resources, for example. If there is no free resource, the inter-node wireless control unit 242 may not process the connectable node information, and if there is free resource, organize the connection priority of the connectable node from the connectable node information. The inter-node wireless control unit 242 may, for example, determine priority in descending order of distance to a connectable node.

The node-to-node wireless control unit 242 may determine which node-to-node wireless communication unit 244 is to be connected to which connectable node based on the connectable nodes and the priority of available resources. The inter-node wireless control unit 242 may notify the target inter-node wireless communication unit 244 of connectable node information (including location information) and the location information of its own node, and instruct connection. The target inter-node wireless communication unit 244 may establish a wireless communication connection with the notified connectable node based on the notified connectable node information and the location information of the own node. The internode wireless communication unit 244 that has successfully established the wireless communication connection may notify the internode wireless control unit 242 of the establishment of the wireless communication connection. The internode wireless control unit 242 may record the newly connected node information (including position information) in the recording unit. When establishing a wireless communication connection with another node, the inter-node wireless communication unit 244 performs antenna selection and beam direction control of the antenna system 246 based on the connectable node information and the position information of the own node. good. The inter-node wireless communication unit 244 may, for example, perform antenna selection of the antenna system 246 and beam direction control so that the signal strength between its own node and connectable nodes is increased.

When the position information control unit 220 requests the node information of the currently connected other node, the inter-node radio control unit 242 receives the node information (including the position information) of the currently connected other node recorded in the recording unit. ) may be notified to the position information control unit 220 . When the route information control unit 240 requests the node information of the currently connected other node, the inter-node radio control unit 242 receives the node information (including position information) of the currently connected other node recorded in the recording unit. ) may be notified to the route information control unit 240 . The inter-node wireless control unit 242 may update the connection node information in the recording unit when receiving a disconnection notification from the inter-node wireless communication unit 244 that is currently connected.

FIG. 6 schematically shows an example of the configuration of the mobile communication device 200. As shown in FIG. Here, a case where the antenna system 246 has six beamforming antennas 252, an antenna switching section 254, and an antenna control section 256 is illustrated.

The six beamforming antennas 252 may be connected to the six inter-node wireless communication units 244 via the antenna switching units 254, respectively. The number of internode wireless communication units 244 basically does not exceed the number of beamforming antennas 252, but this is not the case when the beamforming antennas 252 are compatible with multiple beams.

The internode wireless communication unit 244 may be connectable to the beamforming antenna 252 by weight control in the antenna switching unit 254 . Note that each of the internode wireless communication units 244 may be connectable to any one of the six beamforming antennas 252 by switching. Also, when the beamforming antenna 252 is compatible with multiple beams, basically a plurality of internode wireless communication units 244 are connected to one beamforming antenna 252, or a plurality of beamforming units are connected to one internode wireless communication unit 244. Antenna 252 may be connected. Also, if the beamforming antenna 252 is not multi-beam compatible, basically one beamforming antenna 252 may not be connected to a plurality of inter-node wireless communication units 244 .

The six internode wireless communication units 244 may be connected to the route information control unit 240 . Communication from another node to another node may be performed through the route information control unit 240 .

The antenna control unit 256 controls the antenna switching unit 254 and controls the directivity directions of the six beamforming antennas 252 based on the position information of the own node and the position information of the other node of the communication partner. A mesh network may be configured. That is, the inter-node wireless communication unit 244 transmits the connectable node information and the position information of its own node to the antenna control unit 256, and causes the antenna control unit 256 to perform antenna selection of the antenna system 246 and beam direction control. you can

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates an example system 10 . FIG. 7 illustrates a case where the mobile communication device 200 is mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle 20. As shown in FIG. A plurality of mobile communication devices 200 may form a mesh network by establishing wireless communication connections with each other. The mesh network may be connected to the network 50 by some of the mobile communication devices 200 establishing a wireless communication connection with the ground communication device 100 .

Unmanned aerial vehicle 20 may be fixed point-to-air. Unmanned aerial vehicle 20 may move. When the mobile communication device 200 is mounted on a fixed-wing aircraft, an airship, or the like instead of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20, the aircraft, the airship, or the like may turn around a fixed point.

A mobile communication device 200 that establishes a wireless communication connection with a ground communication device 100 may establish a wireless communication connection with one ground communication device 100 and establish wireless communication connections with a plurality of mobile communication devices 200 in parallel. You may By establishing wireless communication connections in parallel with a plurality of mobile communication devices 200, communication capacity between the sky and the ground can be increased.

The mobile communication device 200 may form a wireless communication area 22 below. The mobile communication device 200 may form the wireless communication area 22, for example, by communicating with a base station corresponding to the area below. The mobile communication device 200 may provide wireless communication services to communication terminals within the wireless communication area 22 . That is, the mobile communication device 200 may relay communication between the network 50 and communication terminals via the mesh network. Specifically, for example, the mobile communication device 200 communicates with a base station within the wireless communication area 22, and the communication terminal and the base station communicate with each other to provide wireless communication services to the communication terminal. good. That is, the mesh network may act as a backhaul. Examples of communication terminals include mobile phones such as smart phones, tablet terminals, PCs (Personal Computers), and so-called IoT (Internet of Thing) devices. Note that the mobile communication device 200 may perform direct wireless communication with a communication terminal.

The mobile communication device 200 may comply with the 3G (3rd Generation) communication system. The mobile communication device 200 may conform to the LTE (Long Term Evolution) communication system. The mobile communication device 200 may comply with the 5G (5th Generation) communication system. The mobile communication device 200 may comply with a communication system after the 6G (6th Generation) communication system.

When the mesh network serves as the backhaul, each of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles 20 may operate with power wired from the ground. Also, each of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles 20 may operate with electric power generated by a solar panel. Alternatively, the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 may operate on power supplied by a battery. Also, the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 may operate with electric power wirelessly supplied from the ground.

The mobile communication device 200 may establish wireless communication connections with direct access terminals. FIG. 7 illustrates a case where mobile communication device 200 establishes wireless communication connection with ship 400, which is an example of a direct access terminal. Vessel 400 may access network 50 via a mesh network through a wireless communication connection with mobile communication device 200 . The ship 400 may provide wireless communication services to communication terminals onboard or on board, other ships in the vicinity, and the like.

FIG. 8 schematically shows an example of the antenna configuration of the mobile communication device 200 mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle 20. As shown in FIG. In FIG. 8, the mobile communication device 200 has six beamforming antennas 252 arranged to have directivity in six directions, and a beamforming antenna 253 arranged to have downward directivity. exemplifies the case. In this way, the mobile communication device 200 may have an antenna configuration in which all azimuths in which a communication target may exist when viewed from the mobile communication device 200 are covered by any one of the antennas having a multifaceted configuration. For example, the mobile communication device 200 may have overlapping coverage areas of adjacent antennas. Specifically, the mobile communication device 200 may overlap the adjacent antenna within the half-value width of the adjacent antenna within the coverage area of a given antenna.

A portion of the beamforming antenna 253 may be used to form the wireless communication area 22 and another portion may be used to wirelessly communicate with direct link terminals. Note that the beamforming antenna 253 may be used only to form the wireless communication area 22 . Also, the beamforming antenna 253 may be used only for wireless communication with direct link terminals.

9 and 10 are explanatory diagrams for explaining antenna control by the mobile communication device 200. FIG. Beam range 262 indicates the range of beamforming for beam 260 . When the positional relationship between the other node of the communication partner with which the wireless communication connection is established and the own node changes, the wireless communication unit 230 may perform control to track the other node of the communication partner by beamforming. . The wireless communication unit 230 may respond by beam forming when the other node of the communication partner is located in a direction within the beam range 262 of a certain antenna, and may respond by antenna switching when it is out of the beam range 262 . According to these, the system 10 according to one embodiment can relatively easily maintain communication between nodes.

For example, while the wireless communication unit 230 is wirelessly communicating with the first mobile communication device 200 using the beam from the first beamforming antenna 252 out of the plurality of beamforming antennas 252, the mobile device and the first mobile communication device 200 A case where the positional relationship with the body communication device 200 changes will be described. In this case, for example, when the first mobile communication device 200 is located within the beam range of the first beamforming antenna 252, the radio communication unit 230 tracks the first mobile communication device 200 by beamforming. The first beamforming antenna may be controlled to do so. Also, the radio communication unit 230 is used for radio communication with the first mobile communication device 200, for example, when the first mobile communication device 200 is out of the beam range of the first beamforming antenna 252. The multiple beamforming antennas may be controlled to switch antennas from the first beamforming antenna 252 to other beamforming antennas 252 of the multiple beamforming antennas 252 . Thus, the mobile communication device 200 can cover all directions in the lower hemisphere by beam forming and antenna switching. As a result, the system 10 according to one embodiment can relatively easily realize communication with a gateway on the ground and communication with a direct terminal while forming a mesh network with the mobile communication device 200 . That is, the system 10 according to one embodiment can realize IP services with higher usability.

Note that, for example, when the wireless communication unit 230 tracks the first mobile communication device 200 by beamforming, the first mobile communication device 200 is also used for the beamforming antennas 252 other than the first beamforming antenna 252. You can track it. Further, for example, when switching the antenna to be used to another beamforming antenna 252 , the wireless communication unit 230 may switch to a plurality of other beamforming antennas 252 .

FIG. 11 schematically shows an example of a hardware configuration of a computer 1200 functioning as the ground communication device 100 or the mobile communication device 200. As shown in FIG. Programs installed on the computer 1200 cause the computer 1200 to act as one or more "parts" of the apparatus of the above embodiments, or cause the computer 1200 to operate or perform operations associated with the apparatus of the above embodiments. Multiple "units" can be executed and/or the computer 1200 can be caused to execute the processes or steps of the processes according to the above embodiments. Such programs may be executed by CPU 1212 to cause computer 1200 to perform certain operations associated with some or all of the blocks in the flowcharts and block diagrams described herein.

Computer 1200 , according to one embodiment, includes CPU 1212 , RAM 1214 , and graphics controller 1216 , which may be interconnected by host controller 1210 . Computer 1200 also includes communication interface 1222 , storage device 1224 , and input/output units such as DVD drives and IC card drives, which may be connected to host controller 1210 via input/output controller 1220 . Storage devices 1224 may be hard disk drives, solid state drives, and the like. Computer 1200 also includes legacy input/output units, such as ROM 1230 and keyboard, which may be connected to input/output controller 1220 via input/output chip 1240 .

CPU 1212 may operate according to programs stored in ROM 1230 and RAM 1214, thereby controlling each unit. Graphics controller 1216 may retrieve image data generated by CPU 1212 into a frame buffer or the like provided in RAM 1214 or itself, and cause the image data to be displayed on display device 1218 .

Communication interface 1222 may communicate with other electronic devices over a network. Storage device 1224 may store programs and data used by CPU 1212 within computer 1200 . The IC card drive may read programs and data from the IC card and/or write programs and data to the IC card.

ROM 1230 may have stored therein, such as a boot program that is executed by computer 1200 upon activation, and/or programs that depend on the hardware of computer 1200 . Input/output chip 1240 may also connect various input/output units to input/output controller 1220 via USB ports, parallel ports, serial ports, keyboard ports, mouse ports, and the like.

The program may be provided by a computer-readable storage medium such as DVD-ROM or IC card. The program may be read from a computer-readable storage medium, installed in storage device 1224 , RAM 1214 , or ROM 1230 , which are also examples of computer-readable storage media, and executed by CPU 1212 . The information processing described within these programs can be read by computer 1200 to provide coordination between the programs and the various types of hardware resources described above. An apparatus or method may be configured by implementing information operations or processing according to the use of computer 1200 .

For example, when communication is to be performed between computer 1200 and an external device, CPU 1212 may execute a communication program loaded into RAM 1214 . Then, the CPU 1212 may command the communication interface 1222 to perform communication processing based on the processing described in the communication program. The communication interface 1222, under the control of the CPU 1212, may read transmission data stored in a transmission buffer area provided in a recording medium such as the RAM 1214, storage device 1224, DVD-ROM, or IC card. The communication interface 1222 may then transmit the read transmission data to the network, or write the reception data received from the network to a reception buffer area or the like provided on the recording medium.

Also, the CPU 1212 may cause the RAM 1214 to read all or necessary portions of files or databases stored in an external recording medium such as a storage device 1224, a DVD drive (DVD-ROM), an IC card, or the like. CPU 1212 may then perform various types of processing on the data in RAM 1214 . CPU 1212 may then write back the processed data to an external recording medium.

Various types of information, such as various types of programs, data, tables, and databases, may be stored on recording media and subjected to information processing. CPU 1212 performs various types of operations on data read from RAM 1214, information processing, conditional decisions, conditional branching, unconditional branching, and information retrieval, which are described throughout this disclosure and are specified by instruction sequences of programs. Various types of processing may be performed, including /replace and the like. CPU 1212 may then write back the results to RAM 1214 . In addition, the CPU 1212 may search for information in a file in a recording medium, a database, or the like. For example, when a plurality of entries each having an attribute value of a first attribute associated with an attribute value of a second attribute are stored in the recording medium, the CPU 1212 selects the first attribute from among the plurality of entries. You may search for entries that match the conditions in which the attribute value of the attribute is specified. Then, the CPU 1212 reads the attribute value of the second attribute stored in the entry, thereby acquiring the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute that satisfies the predetermined condition. good.

The programs or software modules described above may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium on or near computer 1200 . A storage medium such as a hard disk or RAM provided in a server system connected to a private communication network or the Internet may also be usable as a computer-readable storage medium. That is, the program may be provided to computer 1200 via a network.

The blocks in the flowcharts and block diagrams in one embodiment may represent steps in the process in which the operations are performed or "parts" of the apparatus responsible for performing the operations. Certain steps and "sections" may be provided with dedicated circuitry, programmable circuitry provided with computer readable instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium, and/or computer readable instructions provided with computer readable instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium. It may be implemented by a processor. Dedicated circuitry may include digital and/or analog hardware circuitry. Dedicated circuitry may include, for example, integrated circuits (ICs) and/or discrete circuitry. Programmable circuits, such as Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Programmable Logic Arrays (PLAs), etc., perform AND, OR, EXCLUSIVE OR, NOT AND, NOT OR, and other logical operations. , flip-flops, registers, and memory elements.

A computer-readable storage medium may include any tangible device capable of storing instructions for execution by a suitable device. As a result, a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon may comprise an article of manufacture including instructions that may be executed to create means for performing the operations specified in the flowcharts or block diagrams. Examples of computer-readable storage media may include electronic storage media, magnetic storage media, optical storage media, electromagnetic storage media, semiconductor storage media, and the like. More specific examples of computer readable storage media include floppy disks, diskettes, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM or flash memory) , electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), static random access memory (SRAM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray disc, memory stick , integrated circuit cards, and the like.

The computer readable instructions may be assembler instructions, Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or object oriented programming such as Smalltalk, JAVA, C++, etc. language, and any combination of one or more programming languages, including conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. good.

Computer readable instructions are used to produce means for a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, or programmable circuits to perform the operations specified in the flowchart or block diagrams. A general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processor, locally or over a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet, etc., to execute such computer readable instructions. It may be provided in the processor of the device or in a programmable circuit. A processor may be, for example, a computer processor, processing unit, microprocessor, digital signal processor, controller, microcontroller, or the like.

Although the invention according to the present disclosure has been described above using the embodiments, the technical scope of the invention according to the present disclosure is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is clear from the description of the scope of claims that forms with such modifications or improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

The execution order of each process such as actions, procedures, steps, and stages in the devices, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, the specification, and the drawings is particularly "before", "before etc., and it should be noted that they can be implemented in any order unless the output of the previous process is used in the subsequent process. Regarding the operation flow in the claims, the specification, and the drawings, even if the description is made using "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it means that it is essential to carry out in this order. not a thing

10 system, 20 unmanned aerial vehicle, 22 wireless communication area, 50 network, 100 ground communication device, 110 location information acquisition unit, 120 location information control unit, 130 wireless communication unit, 140 route information control unit, 150 wired connection unit, 200 movement body communication device, 210 location information acquisition unit, 220 location information control unit, 230 wireless communication unit, 240 route information control unit, 242 inter-node wireless control unit, 244 inter-node wireless communication unit, 246 antenna system, 252 beam forming antenna, 253 beam forming antenna, 254 antenna switching unit, 256 antenna control unit, 260 beam, 262 beam range, 300 position information recording server, 400 ship, 1200 computer, 1210 host controller, 1212 CPU, 1214 RAM, 1216 graphic controller, 1218 display device, 1220 input/output controller, 1222 communication interface, 1224 storage device, 1230 ROM, 1240 input/output chip

Claims (12)

a terrestrial communication device having a connection for connecting to a terrestrial network;
a plurality of mobile communication devices each mounted on a mobile body and wirelessly communicating with the ground communication device;
each of the plurality of mobile communication devices is mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle,
Each of the plurality of mobile communication devices includes a plurality of beamforming antennas arranged to have directivities in different directions, and a plurality of beams emitted from the plurality of beamforming antennas. having a radio communication unit capable of radio communication in parallel with the body communication device,
The radio communication unit performs radio communication with the first mobile communication device while performing radio communication with the first mobile communication device using a beam from a first beamforming antenna of the plurality of beamforming antennas. When the positional relationship with the device changes,
The first beamforming antenna to track the first mobile communication device by beamforming when the first mobile communication device is located within the beam range of the first beamforming antenna. to control the
When the first mobile communication device is out of the beam range of the first beamforming antenna, the antenna used for wireless communication with the first mobile communication device is the first beamforming antenna. from, controlling the plurality of beamforming antennas to switch to other beamforming antennas of the plurality of beamforming antennas;
system. Each of the plurality of mobile communication devices has six beamforming antennas arranged to have directivities in six directions for wireless communication in parallel with a plurality of other mobile communication devices, 2. The system of claim 1, comprising a beamforming antenna arranged to be directional in a downward direction for forming a wireless communication area. A direct link terminal in which a part of the beamforming antenna arranged to have directivity in the downward direction is used to form the radio communication area and the other part is a communication terminal that performs direct radio communication. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the system is used for wireless communication with. 4. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said ground communication device and said plurality of mobile communication devices constitute a mesh network. One mobile communication device among the plurality of mobile communication devices establishes a wireless communication connection with the ground communication device, and a plurality of mobile communication devices including the one mobile communication device establish a wireless communication connection with each other. 5. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which establishes. each of the plurality of mobile communication devices,
a position information control unit that detects other mobile communication devices that can be connected to wireless communication based on the position information of the mobile communication device itself and the position information of a plurality of other mobile communication devices;
The wireless communication unit establishes a wireless communication connection with another mobile communication device based on the detection result by the location information control unit.
6. A system according to any one of claims 1-5 . The location information control unit transmits the location information of its own device to a location information recording server connected to the terrestrial network, and receives location information of a plurality of other mobile communication devices from the location information recording server. 7. A system according to claim 6 . 8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising said location information recording server. Each of the plurality of mobile communication devices has a route information control unit that manages a data transmission route based on connection information including information on other mobile communication devices with which the wireless communication unit has established a wireless communication connection. A system according to any one of claims 6 to 8 . A wireless communication device mounted on a mobile object,
a plurality of beamforming antennas arranged to have directivity in different directions;
a wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication in parallel with a plurality of other wireless communication devices using a plurality of beams from the plurality of beamforming antennas ;
While the wireless communication unit is performing wireless communication with the first wireless communication device using a beam from a first beamforming antenna of the plurality of beamforming antennas, When the positional relationship of
The first beamforming antenna to track the first wireless communication device by beamforming while the first wireless communication device is located within the beam range of the first beamforming antenna. to control the
When the first wireless communication device is out of the beam range of the first beamforming antenna, the antenna used for wireless communication with the first wireless communication device is selected from the first beamforming antenna, controlling the plurality of beamforming antennas to switch to other beamforming antennas of the plurality of beamforming antennas;
wireless communication device. A program for causing a computer to function as the wireless communication device according to claim 10 . A communication method executed by a wireless communication device mounted on a mobile object,
wirelessly communicating with a plurality of other wireless communication devices in parallel using a plurality of beams from a plurality of beamforming antennas arranged to have directivity in different directions;
While wirelessly communicating with a first wireless communication device using a beam from a first beamforming antenna among the plurality of beamforming antennas, the positional relationship between the device and the first wireless communication device has changed. wherein the first wireless communication device is tracked by beamforming while the first wireless communication device is located within a beam range of the first beamforming antenna; An antenna that controls one beamforming antenna and is used to wirelessly communicate with the first wireless communication device when the first wireless communication device goes out of the beam range of the first beamforming antenna, controlling the plurality of beamforming antennas to switch from the first beamforming antenna to another of the plurality of beamforming antennas;
A communication method comprising:

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