IP Library Granted Patent US 10,999,775
Granted Patent B2
US 10,999,775 · App. 16/631,730 · Granted May 4, 2021

Communication device, communication system, connection destination control method, and transmission rate control method

Inventors: Noriyuki Shimizu (Kanagawa, JP); Hiroaki Asano (Kanagawa, JP); Hideki Shingu (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
H04W36/32H04W4/029H04W16/28H04W36/02H04W36/245H04W36/30H04W64/003H04W88/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,999,775
App. No.
16/631,730
Granted
May 4, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A communication device is provided and includes: a wireless communication device configured to wirelessly communicate with a base station used as a connection destination; a location information acquisition device configured to acquire location information on a location of the communication device; a storage configured to store historical obstruction information for an obstructed location where decrease in communication quality due to obstruction has occurred before; a controller configured to determine, based on the historical obstruction information and the location information, a degree of risk of occurrence of decrease in communication quality due to obstruction for at least one of a current connection destination that is currently used by the communication device and a future connection destination that is expected to be used by the communication device, and control the connection destination based on a result of determination of the degree of risk.

Claims (26)

1. A communication device for communicating data via a base station used as a connection destination, the communication device comprising:

a wireless communication device configured to wirelessly communicate with the base station used as the connection destination;

a location information acquisition device configured to acquire location information on a location of the communication device;

a storage configured to store historical obstruction information for an obstructed location where decrease in communication quality due to obstruction has occurred before;

a controller configured to:

determine a degree of risk of occurrence of decrease in communication quality due to obstruction based on the historical obstruction information and the location information, the degree of risk being determined for at least one of a current connection destination that is currently used by the communication device and a future connection destination that is expected to be used by the communication device; and

control the connection destination based on a result of determination of the degree of risk.

2. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control a cell of the connection destination.

3. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control a beam of the connection destination.

4. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured such that, when there is a risk of occurrence of decrease in communication quality due to obstruction associated with the current connection destination, the controller changes the connection destination from the current connection destination to a different connection destination.

5. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured such that, when there is a risk of occurrence of decrease in communication quality due to obstruction associated with the future connection destination as a connection destination candidate, the controller control the connection destination in such a manner as to avoid selecting the future connection destination as a connection destination.

6. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to define a risky area around the obstructed location, and to determine the degree of risk based on whether or not the communication device is present in the risky area.

7. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the degree of risk based on an accession time required for the communication device to reach the obstructed location.

8. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the degree of risk based on moving status of the communication device.

9. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the degree of risk based on a type of application currently performing communication.

10. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the degree of risk based on a type of the communication device.

11. A communication system in which a communication device communicates data via a base station used as a connection destination, wherein the communication device comprises:

a wireless communication device configured to wirelessly communicate with the base station used as the connection destination;

a location information acquisition device configured to acquire location information on a location of the communication device;

a storage configured to store historical obstruction information for an obstructed location where decrease in communication quality due to obstruction has occurred before;

a controller configured to:

determine a degree of risk of occurrence of decrease in communication quality due to obstruction based on the historical obstruction information and the location information, the degree of risk being determined for at least one of a current connection destination that is currently used by the communication device and a future connection destination that is expected to be used by the communication device; and

control the connection destination based on a result of determination of the degree of risk.

12. A connection destination control method for controlling a connection destination for a communication device to communicate data via a base station used as the connection destination, the method comprising:

the communication device determining a degree of risk of occurrence of decrease in communication quality due to obstruction based on historical obstruction information and location information on a location of the communication device, the historical obstruction information being information on one or more obstructed locations where decrease in communication quality due to obstruction has occurred before, and the degree of risk being determined for at least one of a current connection destination that is currently used by the communication device and a future connection destination that is expected to be used by the communication device; and

the communication device controlling the connection destination based on a result of determination of the degree of risk.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 9, 2022
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059911/0943 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 4, 2020
From: SHIMIZU, NORIYUKI; ASANO, HIROAKI; SHINGU, HIDEKI
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052018/0521 →