IP Library Granted Patent US 9,491,697
Granted Patent B2
US 9,491,697 · App. 14/404,828 · Granted Nov 8, 2016

Terminal, control method for same, and control program for same

Inventors: Masayoshi Son (Minato-ku, JP); Hironobu Tamba (Minato-ku, JP); Masayuki Doi (Minato-ku, JP); Takafumi Okaniwa (Minato-ku, JP); Hitoshi Tsuchiya (Minato-ku, JP); Younpyo Hong (Minato-ku, JP); Yasuhiro Noda (Minato-ku, JP)
Assignee: SOFTBANK CORP.
H04W48/20H04W48/16H04W84/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,491,697
App. No.
14/404,828
Granted
Nov 8, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

The terminal according to the present application includes: a communication module for scanning to detect accessible access points and connecting to one of the accessible access points; and a connection controller for targeting an identical accessible access point, which has been consecutively detected by a predetermined number of times of scans at predetermined time intervals among the accessible access points, for connection.

Claims (16)

1. A terminal for connecting by radio to an access point of a wireless local area network (LAN), the terminal being connected by radio to a current access point of the LAN, comprising:

a communication module for scanning to detect a plurality of accessible access points and connecting to one of the plurality of accessible access points;

a sensor for outputting data relating to movement of the terminal;

a status detector for determining whether the terminal is in a movement status based on the data outputted by the sensor, wherein the status detector activates the sensor when a predetermined starting condition is satisfied; and

a connection controller for targeting an accessible access point to connect to, wherein when it is determined by the status detector that the terminal is in a movement status and when an accessible access point identical to said current access point has been detected by the communication module during a plurality of scan times performed at predetermined time intervals and at a plurality of different locations where the terminal has moved to, the connection controller targets the detected accessible access point identical to said current access point for connection and keeps the connection by radio to said current access point.

2. The terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the status detector stops the sensor when a predetermined status detection termination condition is satisfied.

3. The terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the connection controller further targets an accessible access point, which belongs to a predetermined network among the accessible access points, for connection.

4. The terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the connection controller further targets an accessible access point, which has been connected in the past among the accessible access points, for connection.

5. The terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the connection controller targets all of the accessible access points for connection when a predetermined time has passed since the latest status detection by the status detector.

6. A method for controlling a terminal for connecting by radio to an access point of a wireless local area network (LAN), the terminal being connected by radio to a current access point of the LAN, wherein the terminal has a sensor for outputting data relating to movement of the terminal, the method comprising:

activating the sensor to output data relating to the movement of the terminal, when a predetermined starting condition is satisfied;

determining whether the terminal is in a movement status based on the data outputted by the sensor;

detecting a first group of accessible access points by scanning at a first location of the terminal;

detecting a second group of accessible access points by scanning after a predetermined time has passed and the terminal has moved from the first location to a second location detected by the sensor;

when it is determined that the terminal is in a movement status based on the data output by the sensor and when an accessible access point identical to said current access point has been detected, targeting a detected accessible access point in the second group of accessible access points identical to said current access point; and

maintaining the connection to said current access point, when said current access point is included in both of the first group and the second group.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Mar 10, 2021
From: SOFTBANK CORP.
To: SOFTBANK CORP.
Reel/Frame 056594/0681 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 31, 2015
From: SOFTBANK MOBILE CORP.
To: SOFTBANK CORP.
Reel/Frame 036242/0370 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2015
From: SON, MASAYOSHI; TAMBA, HIRONOBU; DOI, MASAYUKI; OKANIWA, TAKAFUMI; TSUCHIYA, HITOSHI; HONG, YOUNPYO; NODA, YASUHIRO
To: SOFTBANK MOBILE CORP.
Reel/Frame 034713/0365 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2012-131412 · Jun 8, 2012 · national
JP 2012-211260 · Sep 25, 2012 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150146703A1 · May 28, 2015