JP3828038B2 - Communication apparatus and base station selection method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus and a base station selection method capable of efficiently performing communication with a base station when base stations corresponding to different communication speeds coexist.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Currently, in a mobile communication system such as PHS (registered trademark) (Personal Handy Phone System), a base station capable of communicating with a mobile station at a communication speed of 32 kbps (hereinafter referred to as a 32 kbps compatible base station), a communication speed There are two types of base stations that can communicate with mobile stations at 64 kbps (hereinafter referred to as 64 kbps compatible base stations).
[0003]
Conventionally, in a mobile communication system in which base stations with different corresponding communication speeds as described above are mixed, when data communication or voice communication is performed, the following processing is performed on the mobile station side.
For example, when performing data communication, the mobile station selects either 64 kbps data communication or 32 kbps data communication based on preset information or input information from the user, and sets the selected communication speed. Negotiation is performed with the selected base station in order to establish a line with the corresponding base station.
At this time, when data communication at 64 kbps is performed, a line can be established only with a base station corresponding to 64 kbps, whereas when data communication at 32 kbps is performed, a line is connected to both the 64 kbps base station and the 32 kbps base station. Can be established. Therefore, in the case of data communication at 32 kbps, a base station that establishes a line is selected based on a predetermined base station selection algorithm regardless of the communication speed.
[0004]
In addition, when performing a voice call, a line can be established with any base station regardless of the communication speed, as in the case of data communication at 32 kbps. Therefore, a line is established based on a predetermined base station selection algorithm. Select the base station to establish.
[0005]
By the way, the current base station selection algorithm selects the base station with the highest electric field strength from the nearby base stations when a line can be established with both the 32 kbps compatible base station and the 64 kbps compatible base station. And establish a line with the base station.
Therefore, if the base station with the highest electric field strength is a 64 kbps compatible base station, negotiation is performed to establish a line with the base station, whereas if the base station is compatible with 32 kbps, negotiation is performed to establish a line with the base station. I do.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if the 64 kbps compatible base station is selected as the base station for performing data communication or voice communication at 32 kbps even if the electric field strength is the highest, the following inconvenience occurs.
That is, since the 64 kbps compatible base station has a very small number of installations compared to the 32 kbps compatible base station, if the line of the 64 kbps compatible base station is occupied by 32 kbps data communication or voice call, high speed data communication of 64 kbps can be performed. There is a possibility that the number of lines opened to a desired mobile station is reduced, and as a result, communication of a mobile station that requires a 64 kbps compatible base station may be hindered.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides a communication apparatus and a base station selection method that can select an appropriate base station in communication attributes and can effectively use a line of the base station. For the purpose.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a communication apparatus capable of communicating with any base station when a plurality of base stations having different communication speeds that can be provided to the communication apparatus are mixed, Communication quality detection means for detecting communication quality based on a signal received from a base station; correction means for correcting the communication quality based on a weighting value set for each attribute of the base station; And a base station selection means for selecting a base station for establishing a line based on the communication quality of the communication.
[0009]
According to the present invention, the weighting value is set for each attribute of the base station, and the communication quality is corrected based on this weighting value. For example, the weighting for the base station corresponding to 32 kbps is set higher than that of other base stations. Therefore, when performing data communication or voice call at 32 kbps, it is possible to select a base station corresponding to 32 kbps with priority as much as possible. As a result, a larger number of lines can be opened to a mobile station that requires a line connection with a 64 kbps compatible base station.
The communication quality includes electric field strength. The attribute of the base station includes the maximum communication speed that the base station can provide to the communication device. For example, the weighting value is set depending on whether the communication speed that can be provided is 32 kbps or 64 kbps.
[0010]
Also, the present invention is characterized in that, in the communication device described above, the weighting value is a value reflecting an arrangement state of base stations in a predetermined area.
[0011]
According to the present invention, the weighting value is not only set for each attribute of the base station, but also according to the installation number distribution and the installation number ratio of the 32 kbps compatible base station and the 64 kbps compatible base station in the predetermined area. For example, when the number of 64 kbps compatible base stations is very small compared to the number of 32 kbps compatible base stations, the weighting value of the 32 kbps compatible base station for data communication or voice communication using 32 kbps By setting the value to a high value, only 32 kbps can be selected and used. On the other hand, when there are more 64 kbps compatible base stations than 32 kbps compatible base stations, the weighting value can be determined so as to release the use of the 64 kbps compatible base station for 32 kbps data communication and voice communication.
[0012]
The present invention is also a base station selection method in a communication apparatus capable of communicating with any base station when a plurality of base stations having different communication speeds that can be provided to the communication apparatus are mixed. A process of detecting communication quality based on a signal received from a station, a process of correcting the communication quality based on a weighting value set for each attribute of the base station, and a communication quality after correction A base station selection method comprising: a step of selecting a base station for establishing a line.
[0013]
According to the present invention, the weighting value is set for each attribute of the base station, and the communication quality is corrected based on this weighting value. For example, the weighting for the base station corresponding to 32 kbps is set higher than that of other base stations. Therefore, when performing data communication or voice call at 32 kbps, it is possible to select a base station corresponding to 32 kbps with priority as much as possible. As a result, a larger number of lines can be opened to a mobile station that requires a line connection with a 64 kbps compatible base station.
[0014]
The communication device referred to in the present invention includes a mobile terminal called a mobile phone, a PHS terminal (registered trademark), and a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) in addition to the communication card 2 described later. Shall be.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall schematic configuration of a mobile communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in the figure, a plurality of base stations having different communication speeds that can be provided to the mobile station 10 are mixed. Here, base stations B1 and B2 which are 64 kbps compatible base stations and base stations A1, A2 and A3 which are 32 kbps compatible base stations are mixed.
The mobile station 10 has a function that enables voice communication with both a 64 kbps base station and a 32 kbps base station in the mobile communication system as described above.
[0016]
Next, the mobile station 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, the mobile station 10 includes a communication card 2 (communication device) and an electronic device 3. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating main electric circuit configurations of the communication card 2 and the electronic device 3, and FIG. 3 is an overview of the communication card 2.
[0017]
The communication card 2 is one of PCMCIA cards and can perform voice calls and data communication by radio. As shown in FIG. 2, the communication card 2 includes a circuit unit 110, a connector 120, an earphone jack 130, and an antenna 150 via a base station of a public network (for example, the base stations B1, B2, A1 shown in FIG. To A3 etc.) and a radio unit 147 for transmitting and receiving radio signals.
[0018]
The circuit unit 110 is connected to the connector 120, and transmits / receives a signal to / from the electronic device 3 through the connector 120. The circuit unit 110 transmits and receives signals to and from the base station via the wireless unit 147.
In addition, an earphone jack 130 is connected to the circuit unit 110, and an audio signal sent via the wireless unit 147 is supplied to the earphone jack 130 for reproduction by the earphone, and the earphone jack 130 is connected from a microphone. Audio signal sent via the wireless unit 147 to the communication network side.
[0019]
Further, the circuit unit 110 includes a host interface including a PCMCIA interface IC 141, a ROM 143, and a RAM 144, and a telephone unit including a baseband IC 142, a ROM 145, and a RAM 146.
The PCMCIA interface IC 141 includes a CPU 141a. The CPU 141a executes a control program stored in the ROM 143 to control data communication with the CPU 202 mounted on the electronic device 3 connected to the connector 120, and the baseband IC 142 performs outgoing / incoming operations. To control.
[0020]
On the other hand, when performing a voice call, the baseband IC 142 performs modulation / demodulation for transmitting / receiving the voice data between the radio unit 147 and the base station when voice is input / output from the earphone with microphone via the earphone jack 130. . When performing data communication, the baseband IC 142 performs modulation / demodulation of serial data for data transmission / reception between the radio unit 147 and the base station.
[0021]
The baseband IC 142 includes a CPU 142a. When the CPU 142a receives an instruction from the PCMCIA interface IC 141, the CPU 142a executes a control program stored in the ROM 145 to perform an outgoing / incoming operation, and controls the operation of the wireless unit 147.
[0022]
On the other hand, in the electronic apparatus 3, reference numeral 208 denotes a connector provided in the function expansion slot. By connecting the connector 208 and the connector 120 of the communication card 2, information can be transmitted and received between the CPU 202 in the electronic device 3 and the PCMCIA interface IC 141 in the communication card 2.
The CPU 202 performs data communication with the communication card 2 connected to the connector 208 by executing a control program stored in the ROM 204. In addition, control information is supplied to the wireless communication card 2 in order to control the operation of the communication card 2. Reference numeral 206 denotes an input unit as a user interface. The input unit 206 includes an electronic device that is provided and an electronic device that is not provided.
[0023]
Next, the operation of the mobile station 10 having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIG. The process shown in FIG. 4 is realized mainly by loading and executing a program written in the ROM 143 by the CPU 141a in the PC card interface IC 141.
[0024]
For example, it is assumed that the user of the mobile station 10 performs a call operation by operating the input unit of the electronic device 3 in order to start a voice call.
By performing such an operation, information indicating that a voice call is to be made is output from the CPU 202 of the electronic device 3 to the CPU 141a in the PC interface IC 141 via the connectors 208 and 120.
[0025]
On the other hand, the communication card 2 receives a pilot signal from a base station located nearby at a predetermined interval in the power-on state, and detects the electric field strength based on the pilot signal. This electric field strength is one of parameters indicating communication quality. Further, the pilot signal includes attribute information of a base station that is a transmission source of the pilot signal, for example, attribute information indicating whether the base station is a 32 kbps compatible base station or a 64 kbps compatible base station.
[0026]
When receiving a voice call start request from the electronic device 3 (step SP1), the CPU 141a acquires the latest electric field strengths of the base stations A1 to A3, B1, and B2 detected at the present time (step SP2). Here, for example, it is assumed that information on the electric field strength as shown in FIG.
Subsequently, the CPU 141a reads the weighting value set for each attribute of each base station from the RAM 144 (step SP3), and corrects the value of the electric field strength acquired in step SP2 based on the read weighting value (step SP3). SP4).
[0027]
Here, assuming that “+6” is set as the weighting value of the base station corresponding to 32 kbps and “0” is set as the weighting value of the base station corresponding to 64 kbps in the RAM 144, the CPU 141 a performs the processing based on this weighting value. The electric field strength shown in 5 (a) is corrected. As a result, the corrected electric field strength has a value as shown in FIG.
[0028]
The CPU 141a selects the base station A1 having the highest electric field strength among the corrected electric field strengths shown in FIG. 5B as a base station for establishing a line (step SP5). As a result, the CPU 141a negotiates with the base station A1 to establish a line with the base station A1, and as a result, a line between the base station A1 and the communication card 2 is established (step SP6), and a voice call is started. (Step SP7).
[0029]
In the above-described embodiment, the case of voice call has been described. However, when performing data communication at 32 kbps, the same processing as in the case of voice call is performed, so that a 32 kbps compatible base station is preferentially selected. can do.
[0030]
In the above-described embodiment, the weighting value is stored in advance in the RAM 144 of the communication card 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the weighting value may be received each time together with a pilot signal from each base station.
Further, in the base station selection process in step SP5 of FIG. 5, when only the 32 kbps compatible base station is selected, the 64 kbps compatible base station is selected by setting the weighting value for the 32 kbps compatible base station to a significantly large value. It is also possible to prevent this.
[0031]
The weighting value is stored in advance in the RAM 144 of the communication card 2. However, this value may be registered and changed by the terminal user. For example, by operating the input unit 206 of the electronic device 3 to which the communication card 2 is connected, an AT command or the like is transmitted from the electronic device 3 to the communication card 2, whereby the weighting value stored in the RAM 144 is newly set. Be able to register, change, delete, etc.
[0032]
Further, a mode for performing correction processing by weighting as shown in FIG. 4 and a mode in which weighting values are stored but determination processing by weighting is not performed (that is, measurement without correction of electric field strength by weighting values is performed). The communication card 2 may be provided with a mode that uses an existing method of selecting a base station based on the electric field strength, and the terminal user may arbitrarily select any mode.
[0033]
Further, the weighting value may be a value reflecting the arrangement status or distribution status of base stations in a predetermined area in addition to the attributes of the base station.
For example, an adjustment coefficient for adjusting the weight value for each region is stored in the RAM 144, and when the weight value is read from the RAM 144 in step SP3 in FIG. By multiplying the read weighting value by the adjustment coefficient, a weighting value reflecting the arrangement status and distribution status of the base stations in a predetermined area can be obtained.
[0034]
In addition, in the case where weighting values are received from each base station, the transmitted weighting values may be set to values that reflect the location of base stations in that area.
[0035]
Also, the weighting value reflecting the arrangement status of the base stations is, for example, when only 32 kbps compatible base stations exist in a predetermined area, only 32 kbps can be selected during communication, so the weighting value is 0. Can be considered.
When a relatively large number of 64 kbps compatible base stations are installed in a predetermined area, the 32 kbps compatible base station is set to a higher value than usual and the 32 kbps compatible base station is selected more preferentially. Alternatively, on the contrary, the weighting of the base station corresponding to 32 kbps and the weighting of the base station corresponding to 64 kbps may be set to the same value, and the base station corresponding to 64 kbps may be opened to the voice call.
[0036]
In the embodiment described above, a program for realizing the processing shown in FIG. 4 is stored in the memory (RAM 144), and this program is loaded and executed by the CPU (central processing unit) 141a. Instead of this, the processing performed by the CPU 141a may be realized by dedicated hardware.
[0037]
The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and includes design and the like within a scope not departing from the gist of the present invention.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the communication apparatus and the base station selection method of the present invention, the weight value is set for each attribute of the base station, and the communication quality is corrected based on the weight value. By setting a higher weight to the station than other base stations, a 32 kbps compatible base station can be selected with priority as much as possible when performing 32 kbps data communication or voice call. As a result, more lines can be opened for mobile stations that require line connection with a 64 kbps compatible base station, and the base station can be used effectively according to the attributes of the base station. It becomes.
[0039]
Further, according to the communication device of the present invention, the weighting value is not only set for each attribute of the base station, but also set to a value reflecting the arrangement status of the base station in the predetermined area. The base station can be selected in detail, and the base station can be used more effectively.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall schematic configuration of a mobile communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a block diagram showing main electric circuit configurations of a communication card 2 and an electronic device 3. FIG.
FIG. 3 is an overview diagram of a communication card 2;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing contents performed by the communication card 2;
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the electric field strength of each base station shown in FIG. 1 and the corrected electric field strength.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Communication card (communication device)
3 Electronic equipment 10 Mobile station 141 PC card interface IC
141a CPU
143 ROM
144 RAM
147 Radio unit 150 Antenna A1-A3, B1-B2 Base station

Claims (4)

When multiple base stations with different communication speeds that can be provided to the communication device are mixed, the communication device can communicate with any base station,
A wireless means for communicating with high-speed and low-speed communication types;
Communication quality detection means for detecting communication quality of the base station based on a signal received from the base station ;
In the case of the low-speed communication type , based on the communication type to be connected by itself and the weighting value set for each communication speed that can be provided by the base station, a communication device among the plurality of base stations Correction means for correcting the communication quality so as to preferentially connect to a base station having a low communication speed that can be provided to,
A communication apparatus comprising base station selection means for selecting a base station for establishing a line based on the corrected communication quality. When multiple base stations with different communication speeds that can be provided to the communication device are mixed, the communication device can communicate with any base station,
A wireless means for communicating with high-speed and low-speed communication types;
Communication quality detection means for detecting communication quality of the base station based on a signal received from the base station;
Correction means for correcting the communication quality based on a communication type to be connected by itself and a weighting value according to an arrangement state of the base station related to a communication speed that can be provided in a predetermined area ;
Base station selection means for selecting a base station for establishing a line based on the corrected communication quality;
A communication apparatus comprising: When a plurality of base stations with different communication speeds that can be provided to a communication device are mixed, a base station selection method in a communication device capable of communicating with any base station,
Detecting a communication quality of the base station based on a signal received from the base station ;
In the case of the low-speed communication type , based on the communication type to be connected by itself and the weighting value set for each communication speed that can be provided by the base station, a communication device among the plurality of base stations Correcting the communication quality so as to preferentially connect to a base station having a low communication speed that can be provided to,
And a step of selecting a base station for establishing a line based on the corrected communication quality. When a plurality of base stations with different communication speeds that can be provided to a communication device are mixed, a base station selection method in a communication device capable of communicating with any base station,
Detecting a communication quality of the base station based on a signal received from the base station;
A process of correcting the communication quality based on a weighting value corresponding to an arrangement state of the base station related to a communication type to be connected by itself and a communication speed that can be provided in a predetermined area;
And a step of selecting a base station for establishing a line based on the corrected communication quality.

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