JP2007104226A - Adapter device compatible with ad hoc - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To use one or more wireless LAN devices that are attached to an own machine as an ad hoc routing device, without using a main CPU of a computer system. <P>SOLUTION: An ad hocking compatible adapter device is connected between a computer system and a wireless LAN device which is implemented with (a) a first device driver that makes the computer system allow itself functioning as one network interface device, (b) a second device driver that makes the wireless device operate in ad hoc mode based on the communication method of one or more wireless LAN devices attached to an own machine, (c) a route generator that generates a route information corresponding to each end point node based on the information about an adjoining node that is acquired through the wireless LAN device, and (d) a routing process that selects a transfer destination node based on the generated route information and outputs a transfer data to the wireless LAN device as a transfer destination node. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The invention described in this specification relates to an ad hoc compatible adapter device used for mutual connection between a computer system and a wireless LAN device.

By using a wireless ad hoc network, it is possible to communicate with a target wireless terminal or Internet connection point by repeating communication between wireless terminals even in an environment without a wireless communication infrastructure such as an access point.
Because of this characteristic, the wireless ad hoc network is used as a means for providing a network environment in a depopulated area or temporarily. Wireless ad hoc networks are used as one of the methods for reducing the cost required for deployment of communication infrastructure.

By the way, in order to realize communication in the wireless ad-hoc mode, route information indicating to which wireless terminal the packet data should be transferred before reaching the target terminal or Internet connection point that may be connected is exchanged in advance. It is necessary to keep.
Currently, for example, the following method is used for exchanging the route information.
(1) Create a special wireless device having a function of exchanging route information.
(2) Information of adjacent nodes is collected between terminals using the ad hoc mode of the wireless LAN device, and route information is created by a main CPU (Central Processing Unit) of a certain computer system.
JP 2004-289839 A

However, a special wireless device having a function of exchanging route information is generally manufactured on a product line different from a wireless LAN device that is continuously advanced in technology. For this reason, the method using a special wireless device has a problem that the response to the increase in the communication speed or the expansion of the security function tends to be delayed. That is, there is a problem that the latest communication technology cannot be used.
Also, the method of processing by the main CPU of the computer system is to execute the path processing when the processing capacity of the main CPU is weak, when there is not enough processing resources of the main body, or when delay of the main body processing is not allowed. There is a problem that is difficult. In addition, this method has a problem that path processing is difficult when the number of wireless terminals constituting the wireless ad hoc network increases.

Therefore, the inventor proposes an ad hoc compatible adapter device equipped with the following four processing functions.
(A) a first device driver that causes the computer system to which the device itself is attached to function as a network interface device; (b) one or more wireless LAN devices attached to the device. The second device driver that operates the wireless LAN device in the ad hoc mode in accordance with the communication method of (c) Based on the information about the adjacent node acquired through the wireless LAN device, the path information corresponding to each end node is generated Route generation unit (d) A routing processing unit that selects a transfer destination node based on the generated route information and outputs transfer data to a wireless LAN device as the transfer destination node

  By employing the technology according to the invention, it is possible to use one or a plurality of wireless LAN devices attached to the own device as ad hoc routing devices without using the main CPU of the computer system.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the ad hoc compatible adapter device according to the invention will be described.
In addition, the well-known or well-known technique of the said technical field is applied to the part which is not specifically illustrated or described in this specification.
Moreover, the form example demonstrated below is one form example of invention, Comprising: It is not limited to these.

(A) Connection Example FIG. 1 shows a connection example of an ad hoc compatible adapter device. The ad hoc compatible adapter device 200 is connected to the network computer system 100 and the wireless LAN device 300, respectively.
The network computer system 100 is a computer system having a network communication function.

For the network computer system 100, for example, a device embedded system is applied.
Device embedded systems include any product that incorporates a computer system. For example, automobiles, information appliances (for example, television receivers, refrigerators, air conditioners, microwave ovens, telephones, video recorders), portable information terminals (portable computers, cellular phones, portable game machines, electronic books, etc.), Display devices, printing devices, network cameras, digital cameras, game machines, scanners, general-purpose computers, clocks, electronic billboards, and portable music players are included.

For example, a sensor node is applied to the network computer system 100.
The sensor node refers to a wireless terminal that incorporates a power source, a microprocessor (CPU), a sensor, and a wireless communication function. The sensor refers to, for example, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an acceleration sensor, or other detection devices. The sensor node is useful for grasping the state of an object, a person, the environment, etc. in real time.
Here, the device built-in system and the sensor node are described as different types of network computer systems, but this is a subjective classification at the present time and does not restrict future classification.

The ad hoc-adaptive adapter device 200 is an adapter device proposed by the inventor and includes a route generation function and a routing processing function. By mounting these functions, the ad hoc-adaptive adapter device 200 can completely execute the route information generation process by itself. That is, route generation processing in the network computer system 100 as in the conventional apparatus can be eliminated.
In addition, the ad hoc adapter device 200 takes a product form independent of the wireless LAN device 300. For this reason, with the advent of new wireless LAN technology in the future, even when the wireless LAN device is replaced, the ad hoc compatible adapter device 200 can be used as it is.

The wireless LAN device 300 is arbitrary as long as it is a product available on the market. When the ad hoc compatible adapter device 200 is not compatible with the wireless LAN device 300, the driver may be installed in the ad hoc compatible adapter device 200 in advance.
As the wireless LAN device 300, for example, a wireless device compliant with the IEEE 802.11 standard is used. For example, a wireless LAN device corresponding to IEEE802.11a, IEEE802.11b, IEEE802.11e, or IEEE802.11g is used.

Note that existing interfaces are used as a connection interface between the network computer system 100 and the ad hoc compatible adapter device 200 and a connection interface between the ad hoc compatible adapter device 200 and the wireless LAN device 300. For example, PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association), Cardbus, USB (Universal
Serial Bus), PCI, etc. are used. Of course, any interface that will be developed in the future can of course be used.

(B) Functional Configuration of Each Unit FIG. 2 shows a functional configuration of the network computer system 100 and the ad hoc compatible adapter device 200.

(B-1) Network Computer System The network computer system 100 includes application software 101, an operation system (OS) 103, and an ad hoc network device 105.

In the case of this embodiment, the application software 101 refers to arbitrary software that executes specific processing through communication with a wireless terminal (node) connected to an ad hoc network.
Of course, the application software 101 operates on the operation system 103. Instead of these, software called firmware can be used.

The ad hoc network device 105 is a communication device used for communication with a network device that supports communication in the ad hoc mode. At least one communication device is mounted on the network computer system 100.
The ad hoc network device 105 is used for connection with the ad hoc adapter device 200.

(B-2) Ad Hoc Adapter Device The ad hoc adapter device 200 includes a device correspondence unit 201, a wireless LAN driver 203, a route generation unit 205, and a routing processing unit 207.
The device corresponding unit 201 is a dedicated device driver corresponding to the function of communicating with the network computer system 100 as one network interface device.

Due to the presence of the device driver, the ad hoc compatible adapter device 200 is recognized as one real wireless LAN interface by the network computer system 100. The actual wireless LAN interface is a concept with respect to the virtual wireless LAN interface.
The device correspondence unit 201 activates the interface (ad hoc correspondence network device 105) of the network computer system 100 when the route table is generated by the route generation unit 205 described later.

The wireless LAN driver 203 is a device driver corresponding to the chip set of the wireless LAN device 300, and corresponds to a function for operating the connected wireless LAN device 300 in the ad hoc mode.
The wireless LAN driver 203 has a configuration in which a device driver corresponding to an unsupported wireless LAN device can be installed from the outside.

The route generation unit 205 corresponds to a function of searching adjacent node information for the wireless LAN device connected to the own device and generating route information based on the acquired adjacent node information.
Note that the adjacent node information to be searched includes available channel search, determination, adjacent node address, status confirmation, routing table exchange, and the like.
The route generation unit 205 generates a route table as to which node the packet data for each end node should be transferred based on the adjacent node information obtained from each node.
Due to the presence of this path generation unit 205, the ad hoc adapter device 200 can determine the transfer destination without imposing a load on the network computer system 100.

The routing processing unit 207 corresponds to a function of selecting a transfer destination node based on the generated route information and outputting (routing) transfer data to the transfer destination node.
Here, when the routing processing unit 207 inputs data from the network computer system 100, the routing processing unit 207 transfers the data to the transfer destination node based on the route table generated by the route generation unit 205. During this transfer, the received data is changed as necessary.
This transfer operation is repeatedly executed in each node that receives and holds the notification of the generated routing table.

(C) Operation Example FIG. 3 shows a communication sequence of the above-described ad hoc compatible adapter device 200. FIG. 3 shows a case where two wireless LAN devices 300 are connected to the ad hoc compatible adapter device 200.

A series of sequences is started by searching for adjacent nodes by the route generation unit 205. This search is executed at the initial connection or periodically. In this example, the search command is transmitted from the route generation unit 205 to the two wireless LAN drivers 203.
As shown in FIG. 3, this search command is sequentially transferred to another node (wireless LAN device) ad hoc-connected through the wireless LAN device 300 connected to the two wireless LAN drivers 203.

Eventually, adjacent node information regarding all nodes (wireless LAN devices) on the network is collected by the route generation unit 205 through the wireless LAN driver 203.
When all adjacent node information is acquired, the route generation unit 205 generates a route table.
At the timing when this route table is generated, the route generation unit 205 activates the ad hoc network device 105 through the device response unit 201.

The communication operation from the ad hoc adapter device 200 to the network computer system 100 has been described above.
On the other hand, the communication operation from the network computer system 100 to the ad hoc compatible adapter device 200 is executed as follows.
This communication operation is executed when a packet corresponding to a request from the application software 101 is received.

The packet data transmitted from the application software 101 to the wireless ad hoc network is given to the routing processing unit 207 of the ad hoc compatible adapter device 200.
At this time, the routing processing unit 207 selects a transfer destination node corresponding to the packet data based on the route table.

Here, the data is transferred to one of the two wireless LAN device drivers 203 (port number 1 in FIG. 3).
Thereafter, the packet is transferred to the wireless LAN device 300 connected to the wireless LAN device driver 203, and thereafter, the transfer process based on the route table is repeated on each adjacent node as the transfer destination. As a result, communication between the application software and the node (wireless LAN device) designated as the communication destination is realized.

(D) Effect of Using Ad Hoc Adapter Device As described above, the ad hoc adapter device 200 independent of the network computer system 100 and the wireless LAN device is prepared. Then, the route generation unit 205 generates a route table independently of the network computer system 100. That is, a route table is generated in the ad hoc compatible adapter device 200.

  This makes it possible to use any existing or future appearing wireless LAN device as an ad hoc routing device without using the resources of the main CPU of the network computer system 100 (without applying a load).

  In addition, when the processing capability of the main CPU of the network computer system 100 is weak, when there is not enough processing resources of the main body, or when delay of the main body processing is not allowed, the use effect of the ad hoc adapter device 200 is great. .

(E) Other Embodiments (a) In the embodiment described above, a case where two or four wireless LAN devices 300 are connected to the ad hoc adapter device 200 has been described. However, the number of wireless LAN devices 300 connectable to the ad hoc compatible adapter device 200 is not limited to these and is arbitrary. For example, one unit may be used.
(B) Various modifications can be considered for the above-described embodiments within the scope of the gist of the invention. Various modifications and applications created or combined based on the description of the present specification are also conceivable.

It is a figure which shows the example of a connection of a computer system, an ad hoc corresponding | compatible adapter apparatus, and a wireless LAN device. It is a figure which shows the function structure of a computer system and an ad hoc corresponding | compatible adapter apparatus. It is a figure explaining the communication sequence performed via an ad hoc corresponding | compatible adapter.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Network computer system 200 Ad hoc-adaptive adapter apparatus 201 Device corresponding part (device driver)
203 Wireless LAN driver (device driver)
205 Route Generator 207 Routing Processor 300 Wireless LAN Device

Claims (5)

A first device driver for causing the computer system to which the device is installed to function as a network interface device;
A second device driver for operating the wireless LAN device in an ad hoc mode in compliance with the communication method of one or more wireless LAN devices mounted on the device;
A route generation unit that generates route information corresponding to each end node based on information about adjacent nodes acquired through the wireless LAN device;
An ad hoc-adaptive adapter device comprising: a routing processing unit that selects a transfer destination node based on the generated route information and outputs transfer data to a wireless LAN device as a transfer destination node. In the ad hoc compatible adapter device according to claim 1,
The computer system is a device built-in system. An ad hoc compatible adapter device. In the ad hoc compatible adapter device according to claim 1,
The computer system is a sensor node. An ad hoc compatible adapter device. In the ad hoc compatible adapter device according to claim 1,
The computer system is a network camera. An ad hoc compatible adapter device. In the ad hoc compatible adapter device according to claim 1,
An ad-hoc compatible adapter device, wherein a device driver corresponding to an unsupported wireless LAN device can be installed from the outside.

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