Communication device, communication method, and program

Abstract

To provide a communication device capable of efficiently achieving both data communication and scanning.SOLUTION: A communication device 10 that performs wireless communication via a master unit includes a communication section 11 for performing wireless communication with an apparatus connected to the master unit via the master unit, a memory section 13 that stores contents of data transmission and reception with the apparatus, and a control section 12 that, when a request to perform a scan is received, determines whether or not there is a high possibility of future data communication with the apparatus based on contents of transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period prior to the time the request stored in the memory section 13 was received, and controls execution of the scan based on a result of the determination.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a communication device that is a slave unit that performs wireless communication with a master unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a technique for suppressing a decrease in throughput when a slave unit, which is performing wireless communication with a master unit, scans another base station (master unit) that is to be a handover destination. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-201780 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a slave unit performing wireless communication with a master unit performs scanning, the slave unit may be unable to communicate with the connected master unit, resulting in a decrease in the throughput of data communication. As a technology for suppressing such a decrease in throughput, in addition to the technology described in Patent Document 1, there is also a technology that does not perform scanning if a certain period of time has not elapsed since the last data transmission / reception. However, if scanning is not performed unless a certain period of time has elapsed across all units, there are problems such as a decrease in the rate at which scanning is performed and a delay in the start of data communication for a certain period of time. In response to this, it is desired to efficiently achieve both data communication and scanning.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has an object to provide a communication device etc. that can efficiently perform both data communication and scanning. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, a communication device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a communication device that performs wireless communication via a parent unit, and includes a communication unit for performing wireless communication with a device connected to the parent unit via the parent unit, a memory unit for storing the contents of data transmission and reception with the device, and a control unit that, when a request to perform a scan is received, determines whether or not there is a high possibility of future data communication with the device based on the contents of data transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period prior to the time the request was received and stored in the memory unit, and controls the execution of the scan based on the result of the determination.

[0007] According to this, since the contents of data transmission and reception with the device performed within a predetermined period going back from the time of receiving the request may include information indicating whether or not there is a high possibility of future data communication with the device, it is possible to determine whether or not there is a high possibility of future data communication with the device based on the contents of data transmission and reception with the device performed within a predetermined period going back from the time of receiving the request. If there is a high possibility of future data communication with the device, the timing of starting scanning can be adjusted while prioritizing data communication, and if there is a low possibility of future data communication with the device, scanning can be prioritized, so that data communication and scanning can be efficiently performed at the same time.

[0008] In addition, if the control unit determines that there is a high possibility of future data communication with the device, it may not perform a scan on the request, and if the control unit determines that there is a low possibility of future data communication with the device, it may perform a scan on the request.

[0009] According to this, if the possibility of future data communication with the device is low, a scan can be executed in response to the currently received scan execution request.On the other hand, if the possibility of future data communication with the device is high, a scan is not executed in response to the currently received scan execution request, and data communication is prioritized for the current time, and a scan can be executed when the possibility of future data communication with the device is low.

[0010] In addition, when the control unit determines that there is a low possibility of future data communication with the device, the control unit may execute a foreground scan or a background scan in response to the request.

[0011] According to this, even if the possibility of future data communication with the device is low, data communication may be performed depending on the situation. Therefore, when the possibility of future data communication with the device is low, the type of scan is determined according to the situation and a foreground scan or background scan is performed, thereby making it possible to more efficiently achieve both data communication and scanning.

[0012] In addition, the control unit may perform a foreground scan of the request if the content of the transmission and reception performed within a specified period prior to the time the request was received is information indicating that there is a low possibility of future data communication.

[0013] According to this, if the content of data transmission and reception with a device within a specified period going back from the time the request was received indicates that future data communication is unlikely, data communication is not performed during foreground scanning, and scanning can be performed as a priority.

[0014] In addition, the control unit may perform a background scan in response to the request if the transmission / reception has not occurred within a specified period prior to the time the request was received and a connection has been established with the device.

[0015] According to this, even if data has not been transmitted or received with the device within a predetermined period prior to the time of receiving the request, data communication may still occur if a connection is established with the device. Therefore, by performing a background scan, data communication can be performed when the channel to be scanned is switched.

[0016] Furthermore, when the control unit determines that there is a high possibility of performing data communication with the device in the future, the control unit may instruct the request source of the request to make the request again after a predetermined time.

[0017] According to this, if there is a high possibility of future data communication with the device, the requestor is instructed to make the request again after a specified time, so that a scan can be performed when the possibility of future data communication with the device becomes low.

[0018] In addition, if the control unit determines that there is a high possibility of future data communication with the device, it may again determine after a specified time whether there is a high possibility of future data communication with the device based on the content of the transmission and reception stored in the memory unit, and control the execution of the scan based on the result of the determination.

[0019] According to this, if there is a high possibility of future data communication with the device, a determination is made again after a specified time as to whether there is a high possibility of future data communication with the device, so that a scan can be performed when the possibility of future data communication with the device becomes low.

[0020] In addition, the control unit may determine that there is a high possibility of future data communication with the device if the content of the transmission and reception performed within a specified period going back from the time the request was received indicates transmission and reception of ARP (Address Resolution Protocol), TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), or DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol).

[0021] In this way, it can be determined that there is a high possibility of data communication with the device in the future.

[0022] In addition, the control unit may determine that there is a low possibility of future data communication with the device if the content of the transmission and reception performed within a specified period prior to the time the request was received indicates transmission and reception using UDP (User Datagram Protocol), or if there is no content of the transmission and reception performed within a specified period prior to the time the request was received.

[0023] In this way, it can be determined that there is a low possibility of future data communication with the device.

[0024] In order to solve the above problem, a communication method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a communication method executed by a communication device that performs wireless communication via a parent unit, the communication device having a communication unit for performing wireless communication with a device connected to the parent unit via the parent unit, and a memory unit for storing the contents of data transmission and reception with the device, and the communication method includes, when the communication device receives a request to perform a scan, a step of determining whether or not there is a high possibility of future data communication with the device based on the contents of transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period prior to the time the request was received that are stored in the memory unit, and a step of controlling the execution of a scan on the device based on the result of the determination.

[0025] This makes it possible to provide a communication method that can efficiently achieve both data communication and scanning.

[0026] In order to solve the above problem, a program according to one aspect of the present invention causes a computer to execute the above communication method.

[0027] This makes it possible to provide a program that can efficiently achieve both data communication and scanning. Effect of the Invention

[0028] According to the present invention, data communication and scanning can be efficiently performed at the same time. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a communication system according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a communication device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of the communication device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating an example of the contents of data transmitted and received to and from a child device. [Diagram 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of control of scan execution in the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of an operation when a scan is not executed. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of an operation when a foreground scan is performed. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of an operation when a background scan is executed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] Hereinafter, the embodiment will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[0031] The embodiments described below each show a preferred specific example of the present invention. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, the arrangement and connection of the components, steps, and the order of steps shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not described in the independent claims are described as any components that constitute a more preferred embodiment. Note that the same reference numerals are used for the same components, and descriptions thereof may be omitted.

[0032] (Embodiment) Hereinafter, the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a communication system 1 according to an embodiment.

[0034] In the communication system 1, a plurality of child devices (e.g., STA: station) 100 and communication devices 10 are connected to one parent device (e.g., AP: access point) 200, and the plurality of child devices 100 and communication devices 10 are capable of communicating with each other via the parent device 200 in infrastructure mode. The parent device 200, each child device 100, and communication device 10 are connected by a wireless LAN (Local Area Network). Note that the plurality of child devices 100 may hereinafter be collectively referred to as child devices 100.

[0035] For example, the communication device 10 may scan wireless frames present around the device itself in order to investigate the surrounding wireless environment or to find a parent device 200 that is a roaming candidate. Here, the communication device 10 executes a scan, which is a process of acquiring wireless frames present within a range in which the device itself can receive wireless communication. Since the communication device 10 executes a scan using a channel different from the channel used for communication with the parent device 200 to which it is currently connected, data communication with the parent device 200 to which it is currently connected cannot be performed during the scan. For this reason, it is desirable to efficiently achieve both data communication and scanning. The following describes a communication device 10 that can efficiently achieve both data communication and scanning in such a communication system 1.

[0036] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a communication device 10 according to an embodiment.

[0037] The communication device 10 is a communication device that performs wireless communication via the parent device 200, and is, for example, a wireless terminal such as a mobile terminal (smartphone, tablet terminal, etc.) or a node PC (Personal Computer), or a network device. In this embodiment, the communication device 10 is described as performing wireless communication with a plurality of child devices 100 via the parent device 200, but is not limited to this, and may communicate with another communication device (not shown) connected to the parent device 200 via another network. The communication device 10 includes a communication unit 11, a control unit 12, and a storage unit 13. The communication device 10 is a computer that includes hardware such as a processor, a memory, and a communication interface. The memory is a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), and can store a program executed by the processor. The control unit 12 is realized by a processor that executes a program stored in the memory, etc. The communication unit 11 is realized by a communication program, a communication circuit, a communication interface such as an antenna, etc., and can transmit and receive information by being controlled by the control unit 12. For example, the communication interface of the communication unit 11 is a wireless interface that complies with the IEEE802.11 communication standard. The storage unit 13 is realized by a memory, but the memory in which the program is stored and the storage unit 13 may be separate memories.

[0038] The communication unit 11 is a processing unit for performing wireless communication with the child device 100 via the parent device 200. The child device 100 is an example of a device currently connected to the parent device 200. As described above, the communication unit 11 may perform wireless communication with another communication device (not shown) connected to the parent device 200 via another network. In this case, the other communication device is an example of a device currently connected to the parent device 200. For example, when the child device 100 is wirelessly connected to the parent device 200, the communication unit 11 can perform wireless communication with the child device 100 via the parent device 200.

[0039] The storage unit 13 stores the contents of data transmission and reception with the child device 100 with which the communication unit 11 is performing wireless communication. An example of the contents of data transmission and reception with the child device 100 stored in the storage unit 13 will be described later. The storage unit 13 may also store the status of establishment of a connection with the child device 100. The storage unit 13 may also store information obtained by, for example, performing a scan to acquire various data (information) stored in a wireless frame.

[0040] For example, when the control unit 12 receives a request to execute a scan from a user of the communication device 10 via an input unit (not shown), the control unit 12 determines whether or not there is a high possibility of future data communication with the slave device 100 based on the contents of data transmission and reception with the slave device 100 performed within a predetermined period prior to the time of receiving the request, which is stored in the storage unit 13, and controls the execution of a scan based on the result of the determination. Hereinafter, a request to execute a scan is also referred to as a scan request. A scan request is made, for example, to investigate the surrounding wireless environment or to find a roaming candidate destination. The source of the scan request may be, in addition to the user operating the communication device 10, for example, an application installed in the communication device 10.

[0041] Next, the operation of the communication device 10 (specifically, the control unit 12) will be described with reference to FIG.

[0042] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the communication device 10 according to the embodiment.

[0043] First, the control unit 12 determines whether or not a request to execute a scan (a scan request) has been received (step S11).

[0044] If the control unit 12 has not received a scan request (No in step S11), the control unit 12 repeats the process in step S11 until a scan request is received. In other words, the control unit 12 waits until a scan request is received in step S11.

[0045] When the control unit 12 receives a scan request (Yes in step S11), it determines whether or not there is a high possibility of future data communication with the child device 100 based on the contents of data transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period prior to the time of receiving the scan request, which are stored in the storage unit 13 (step S12). An example of the contents of data transmission and reception with the child device 100 stored in the storage unit 13 will now be described with reference to FIG.

[0046] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of data transmitted and received to and from child device 100. As shown in FIG.

[0047] For example, the storage unit 13 stores the contents of the header of a data frame, specifically, the type of protocol included in the header, the type of packet, and a timestamp (the time when transmission or reception was performed), etc. For example, in Fig. 4, ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol) are shown as types of protocols.

[0048] ARP is a protocol for obtaining an Ethernet (registered trademark) MAC (Media Access Control) address from an IP address, and ARP data frames are sent and received to perform data communication. ARP has two types of packets: Request and Reply. For example, the communication device 10 broadcasts an ARP Request including an IP address whose MAC address it wants to know via the parent device 200, and the child device 100 having that IP address transmits an ARP Reply including its own MAC address to the communication device 10 via the parent device 200. This allows the communication device 10 and the child device 100 to perform data communication thereafter. In this way, when an ARP Request required for data communication is transmitted, there is a high probability that an ARP Reply will be transmitted in response to the ARP Request.

[0049] UDP is a protocol that performs connectionless communication and is suitable for data communications that require real-time performance such as video and audio, high-speed data communications, and data communications where responsiveness is prioritized such as DNS (Domain Name System) name resolution. UDP does not establish connections like the three-way handshake of TCP (Transmission Control Protocol).

[0050] Although not shown, one of the types of protocols stored in the storage unit 13 is TCP. TCP is a protocol that performs connection-type communication and is suitable for performing data communication that requires reliability. Before data communication is performed by TCP, a connection is established by a three-way handshake. Types of packets used when establishing a TCP connection include SYN, SYN / ACK, and ACK. For example, the communication device 10 transmits a SYN packet via the parent device 200 to the child device 100 with which the connection is to be established, and the child device 100 that receives the SYN packet transmits a SYN / ACK packet to the communication device 10 via the parent device 200, and the communication device 10 transmits an ACK packet to the child device 100 via the parent device 200. This establishes a connection between the communication device 10 and the child device 100.

[0051] In addition to the protocol type, packet type, and timestamp, the contents of data transmission and reception with the child device 100 may also include a port number, an IP address, or a MAC address, etc., stored in the storage unit 13. In this way, in TCP communication in which data communication is performed after a connection is established, when a three-way handshake for establishing a connection is started, there is a high probability that data communication will be performed, and there is also a possibility that a certain amount of data communication will be performed even after the connection is established.

[0052] Furthermore, the contents of data transmitted and received with the child device 100 stored in the storage unit 13 may be deleted beginning with the oldest.

[0053] Here, a specific example of determining whether or not there is a high possibility of future data communication with the slave unit 100 based on the content of data transmission and reception with the slave unit 100 performed within a predetermined period going back from the time when the communication device 10 received a scan request will be described with reference to various types of protocols as shown in Fig. 4. The control unit 12 determines whether or not there is a high possibility of future data communication with the slave unit 100 based on the content of data transmission and reception with the slave unit 100 performed within a predetermined period going back from the time when the communication device 10 received a scan request, which is stored in the storage unit 13. The predetermined period is not particularly limited and is set appropriately depending on the system to which the communication device 10 is applied.

[0054] For example, when the contents of transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period going back from the time when the scan request was received indicate ARP transmission and reception, the control unit 12 determines that there is a high possibility of future data communication with the slave unit 100. This is because ARP transmission and reception is being performed for future data communication between the communication device 10 and the slave unit 100, and there is a high possibility of future data communication.

[0055] For example, when the contents of transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period going back from the time when the scan request was received indicate one-off data transmission and reception such as UDP, the control unit 12 determines that the possibility of future data communication with the slave unit 100 is low. This is because one-off data communication has been performed between the communication device 10 and the slave unit 100, and the possibility of continuous data communication in the future is low.

[0056] For example, when the contents of transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period going back from the time when the scan request was received indicate TCP transmission and reception, or when the contents indicate transmission and reception of SYN, SYN / ACK, and ACK packets at the time of establishing a TCP connection, the control unit 12 determines that there is a high possibility that data communication will be performed in the future with the slave unit 100. This is because there is a high possibility that data communication will be performed in the future, since TCP data transmission and reception has been performed between the communication device 10 and the slave unit 100, or a TCP connection has been established and data communication is about to be performed.

[0057] For example, if there is no content of transmission or reception within a predetermined period going back from the time of receiving the scan request, that is, if no data communication has been performed within the predetermined period, the control unit 12 determines that there is a low possibility of future data communication with the slave unit 100. This is because no data communication has been performed between the communication device 10 and the slave unit 100, and there is a low possibility of future data communication.

[0058] Returning to the explanation in Fig. 3, the control unit 12 controls the execution of a scan based on the result of the judgment as to whether or not there is a high possibility of performing data communication with the child device 100 in the future (step S13). Here, an example of the control of the execution of a scan will be explained with reference to Fig. 5.

[0059] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of control of scan execution in the embodiment.

[0060] The control unit 12 determines whether or not there is a high possibility of performing data communication with the child device 100 in the future (step S21). Specifically, as described above, the determination is made based on the contents of transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period of time prior to the time of receiving the scan request, which are stored in the storage unit 13.

[0061] When the control unit 12 determines that there is a high possibility of future data communication with the child device 100 (Yes in step S21), it does not execute a scan in response to the scan request (step S22). When there is a high possibility of future data communication with the child device 100, it is possible to not execute a scan in response to the currently received scan request, prioritize data communication this time, and execute a scan when the possibility of future data communication with the child device 100 becomes low.

[0062] For example, when the control unit 12 determines that there is a high possibility of future data communication with the child device 100, it instructs the requester of the scan request to make a scan request again after a predetermined time (step S23). When there is a high possibility of future data communication with the child device 100, the requester is instructed to make a scan request again after a predetermined time, so that a scan can be executed when the possibility of future data communication with the child device 100 becomes low. Note that the predetermined time is not particularly limited and is set appropriately depending on the system to which the communication device 10 is applied, etc.

[0063] In addition, when the control unit 12 determines that there is a high possibility of performing data communication with the slave unit 100 in the future, the control unit 12 may not instruct the requester of the scan request to perform a scan request again after a predetermined time, but may determine whether or not there is a high possibility of performing data communication with the slave unit 100 in the future based on the contents of transmission and reception stored in the storage unit 13 again after a predetermined time, and control the execution of the scan based on the result of the determination. In other words, even if there is no scan request again, the process may automatically return to step S21 after a predetermined time to determine again whether or not there is a high possibility of performing data communication with the slave unit 100 in the future. In this way, when there is a high possibility of performing data communication with the slave unit 100 in the future, it is determined again after a predetermined time whether or not there is a high possibility of performing data communication with the slave unit 100 in the future, so that a scan can be executed when the possibility of performing data communication with the slave unit 100 in the future becomes low.

[0064] On the other hand, when the control unit 12 determines that there is a low possibility of performing data communication with the child device 100 in the future (No in step S21), it executes a scan in response to the scan request (step S24). If there is a low possibility of performing data communication with the child device 100 in the future, it is possible to execute a scan in response to the current scan request.

[0065] Here, the operations of the communication device 10, the parent device 200, the child device 100, and the user when a scan is not performed will be described with reference to FIG.

[0066] FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing an example of an operation when a scan is not executed.

[0067] For example, it is assumed that the communication device 10 and the parent device 200 are connected via a wireless LAN, and the parent device 200 and the child device 100 are connected via a wireless LAN.

[0068] For example, when the communication device 10 (control unit 12) receives a scan request, it judges whether the contents of transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period (e.g., one second) prior to the time of receiving the scan request are information indicating a high possibility of future data communication. As shown in FIG. 6, ARP transmission and reception have been performed within one second prior to the time of receiving the scan request from the user via an input unit (not shown) included in the communication device 10, and the contents of the transmission and reception are information indicating a high possibility of future data communication, so the communication device 10 rejects the scan request and does not execute a scan. As another example, even if the contents of the transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period prior to the time of receiving the scan request are transmission and reception of DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), the communication device 10 may reject the scan request and not execute a scan, since DHCP transmission and reception indicate a high possibility of future data communication.

[0069] The communication device 10 scans the channel candidates that are preset in the device and can be used for communication one by one, and the types of scans include foreground scan and background scan. Therefore, for example, when the control unit 12 determines that there is a low possibility of performing data communication with the child device 100 in the future, it executes a foreground scan or a background scan in response to a scan request.

[0070] Foreground scanning is a method of scanning channels by successively switching between channels to be scanned. For example, the channel used by the communication device 10 for communication with the parent device 200 to which the communication device 10 is connected is the first channel, and the channels that can be used for communication that are preset in the device are the second channel, the third channel, and so on. In this case, in foreground scanning, the first channel is switched to the second channel and the second channel is scanned for a predetermined time (e.g., 100 ms), and then the second channel is switched to the third channel and the third channel is scanned for a predetermined time. This process is repeated until all channels to be scanned that are preset in the device are scanned. For this reason, while the communication device 10 is performing foreground scanning, data communication with the child device 100 is not possible.

[0071] On the other hand, background scanning is a method of scanning while alternately switching between a channel to be scanned and a channel used by the communication device 10 to communicate with the parent device 200 to which it is connected. For example, the channel used by the communication device 10 to communicate with the parent device 200 to which it is connected is the first channel, and the channels to be scanned are the second channel, the third channel, and so on. In this case, in background scanning, the first channel is switched to the second channel and scanning of the second channel is performed for a predetermined time (for example, 100 ms), and then the second channel is switched to the first channel to check whether data communication with the child device 100 is occurring. Specifically, if the parent device 200 receives data from the child device 100 to the communication device 10 while scanning the second channel, the parent device 200 buffers the data and transmits it to the communication device 10 when it is switched to the first channel. This allows the communication device 10 to perform data communication with the child device 100 while performing background scanning.

[0072] Next, the first channel is switched to the third channel and the third channel is scanned for a predetermined time, and then the third channel is switched back to the first channel to check whether data communication is occurring with the parent device 200. This process is repeated until all channels to be scanned that have been preset in the parent device have been scanned.

[0073] For example, if the contents of transmissions and receptions performed within a predetermined period prior to the time the scan request was received indicate that future data communication is unlikely, the control unit 12 performs a foreground scan in response to the scan request.

[0074] Here, the operations of the communication device 10, the parent device 200, the child device 100, and the user when performing a foreground scan will be described with reference to FIG.

[0075] FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing an example of an operation when a foreground scan is performed.

[0076] For example, it is assumed that the communication device 10 and the parent device 200 are connected via a wireless LAN, and the parent device 200 and the child device 100 are connected via a wireless LAN.

[0077] For example, when the communication device 10 (control unit 12) receives a scan request, it judges whether the contents of transmissions and receptions performed within a predetermined period (e.g., 10 seconds) prior to the time of receiving the scan request are information indicating that future data communication is highly likely to be performed. As shown in Fig. 7, UDP receptions have been performed only twice within 10 seconds prior to the time of receiving a scan request from a user via an input unit (not shown) of the communication device 10, and the contents of transmissions and receptions are information indicating that future data communication is low, so the communication device 10 executes a foreground scan in response to the scan request.

[0078] In this way, if the contents of the data sent and received with the child unit 100 within a specified period going back from the time the scan request was received indicate that future data communication is unlikely, data communication is not performed during foreground scanning, and scanning can be performed with priority.

[0079] For example, if no transmission or reception has taken place within a specified period going back from the time the scan request was received and a connection has been established with the child device 100, the control unit 12 determines that there is a low possibility of data communication occurring in the future, but performs a background scan in response to the scan request to avoid the risk of not being able to receive data during scanning.

[0080] Here, the operations of the communication device 10, the parent device 200, the child device 100, and the user when performing a background scan will be described with reference to FIG.

[0081] FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram showing an example of an operation when a background scan is executed.

[0082] For example, it is assumed that the communication device 10 and the parent device 200 are connected via a wireless LAN, and the parent device 200 and the child device 100 are connected via a wireless LAN.

[0083] For example, when the communication device 10 (control unit 12) receives a scan request, it determines whether the contents of transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period (e.g., 10 seconds) prior to the time of receiving the scan request are information indicating a high possibility of future data communication. As shown in FIG. 8, if 10 seconds or more have passed since the last data transmission and reception, the communication device 10 determines that the possibility of future data communication is low because no transmission and reception has been performed within a predetermined period (e.g., 10 seconds) prior to the time of receiving the scan request, while determining whether a connection has been established between the communication device 10 and the slave unit 100. For example, the storage unit 13 may store the status of the establishment of a connection with the slave unit 100, and the communication device 10 can determine whether a connection has been established between the communication device 10 and the slave unit 100 by referring to the storage unit 13. As shown in FIG. 8, since a TCP connection has been established between the communication device 10 and the slave unit 100, in this case, the communication device 10 executes a background scan in response to the scan request.

[0084] In this way, even if data has not been transmitted or received with the slave unit 100 within a predetermined period going back from the time the scan request was received, data communication may be performed if a connection has been established with the slave unit 100. By performing a background scan, it is possible to start data communication via the master unit 200 at the timing of switching the channel to be scanned. Note that if data has not been transmitted or received with the slave unit 100 within a predetermined period going back from the time the scan request was received and a connection has not been established with the slave unit 100, it is unlikely that data communication will be performed with the slave unit 100 in the future, so a foreground scan is performed in response to the scan request.

[0085] In this way, when there is a low possibility of future data communication with the child device 100, the type of scan can be determined according to the situation and a foreground scan or background scan can be performed, thereby more efficiently achieving both data communication and scanning.

[0086] As described above, the contents of data transmission and reception with the slave unit 100 performed within a predetermined period going back from the time when a scan request was received may include information indicating whether or not there is a high possibility of future data communication with the slave unit 100, so it is possible to determine whether or not there is a high possibility of future data communication with the slave unit 100 based on the contents of data transmission and reception with the slave unit 100 performed within a predetermined period going back from the time when a scan request was received. When there is a high possibility of future data communication with the slave unit 100, the timing of the start of scanning can be adjusted while giving priority to data communication, and when there is a low possibility of future data communication with the slave unit 100, scanning can be given priority, so that data communication and scanning can be efficiently performed at the same time.

[0087] (Other embodiments) As described above, the embodiment has been described as an example of the technology according to the present invention. However, the technology according to the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to embodiments in which appropriate changes, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. For example, the following modified examples are also included in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0088] For example, the present invention can be realized not only as the communication device 10 but also as a communication method including steps (processing) performed by the components that make up the communication device 10.

[0089] The communication method is executed by a communication device 10 that performs wireless communication via a parent unit 200, and the communication device 10 includes a communication unit 11 for performing wireless communication with a device (child unit 100) connected to the parent unit 200 via the parent unit 200, and a memory unit 13 that stores the contents of data transmission and reception with the child unit 100.As shown in FIG. 3, when the communication device 10 receives a request to perform a scan (Yes in step S11), the communication method includes a step (step S12) of determining whether or not there is a high possibility of future data communication with the child unit 100 based on the contents of transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period going back from the time the request was received and stored in the memory unit 13, and a step (step S13) of controlling the execution of the scan based on the result of the determination.

[0090] For example, the present invention can be realized as a program for causing a computer (processor) to execute the steps included in the communication method. Furthermore, the present invention can be realized as a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, such as a CD-ROM, on which the program is recorded.

[0091] For example, when the present invention is realized by a program (software), each step is executed by executing the program using hardware resources such as a computer's CPU, memory, input / output circuits, etc. In other words, each step is executed by the CPU acquiring data from memory or input / output circuits, etc., performing calculations, and outputting the results of the calculations to memory or input / output circuits, etc.

[0092] In the above embodiment, each component included in communication device 10 may be configured with dedicated hardware, or may be realized by executing a software program suitable for each component. Each component may be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU or a processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or a semiconductor memory.

[0093] Some or all of the functions of the communication device 10 according to the above embodiment are typically realized as an LSI, which is an integrated circuit. These may be individually integrated into one chip, or may be integrated into one chip that includes some or all of the functions. The integrated circuit is not limited to an LSI, and may be realized by a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose processor. An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) that can be programmed after the LSI is manufactured, or a reconfigurable processor that can reconfigure the connections and settings of circuit cells inside the LSI may be used.

[0094] Furthermore, if an integrated circuit technology that can replace LSI emerges due to advances in semiconductor technology or a different derivative technology, naturally each component included in communication device 10 may be integrated into an integrated circuit using that technology.

[0095] In addition, the present invention also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to the embodiments that a person skilled in the art may conceive, and forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of each embodiment within the scope that does not deviate from the spirit of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0096] The present invention can be applied to a system in which child devices communicate with each other via a parent device (AP). [Explanation of symbols]

[0097] 1. Communication Systems 10. Communications Equipment 11 Communications Department 12 Control section 13 Storage section 100 child units 200 Parent Unit

Claims

1. A communication device that performs wireless communication via a master unit, a communication unit for wirelessly communicating with a device currently connected to the master unit via the master unit; A storage unit that stores the contents of data transmission and reception with the device; a control unit which, when receiving a request to execute a scan, determines whether or not there is a high possibility of future data communication with the device based on the contents of transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period going back from the time of receiving the request, which is stored in the storage unit, and controls the execution of the scan based on the result of the determination. Communications equipment.

2. When the control unit determines that there is a high possibility of future data communication with the device, the control unit does not execute a scan in response to the request, When the control unit determines that there is a low possibility of future data communication with the device, the control unit executes a scan in response to the request. The communication device according to claim 1 .

3. When the control unit determines that there is a low possibility of future data communication with the device, the control unit executes a foreground scan or a background scan in response to the request. The communication device according to claim 2 .

4. the control unit, when the content of the transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period prior to the time of receiving the request is information indicating that future data communication is unlikely to be performed, performs a foreground scan in response to the request. The communication device according to claim 3.

5. the control unit executes a background scan in response to the request when the transmission / reception has not been performed within a predetermined period prior to the time when the request was received and a connection has been established with the device. The communication device according to claim 3.

6. When the control unit determines that there is a high possibility of performing data communication with the device in the future, the control unit instructs the request source of the request to make the request again after a predetermined time. The communication device according to claim 2 .

7. When the control unit determines that there is a high possibility of future data communication with the device, the control unit determines again after a predetermined time based on the content of the transmission and reception stored in the storage unit whether or not there is a high possibility of future data communication with the device, and controls execution of a scan based on the result of the determination. The communication device according to claim 2 .

8. When the content of the transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period going back from the time when the request was received indicates transmission and reception of ARP (Address Resolution Protocol), TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), or DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), the control unit determines that there is a high possibility that data communication with the device will be performed in the future. A communication device according to any one of claims 1, 2, 6 and 7.

9. When the content of the transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period prior to the time of receiving the request indicates transmission and reception of UDP (User Datagram Protocol), or when there is no content of the transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period prior to the time of receiving the request, the control unit determines that there is a low possibility of future data communication with the device. A communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

10. A communication method executed by a communication device that performs wireless communication via a master unit, comprising: The communication device includes: a communication unit for wirelessly communicating with a device currently connected to the master unit via the master unit; A storage unit that stores the contents of data transmission and reception with the device, In the communication method, a step of determining, when the communication device receives a request to execute a scan, whether or not there is a high possibility of future data communication with the device based on the contents of transmission and reception performed within a predetermined period prior to the time of receiving the request, which is stored in the storage unit; and controlling execution of a scan on the device based on a result of the determination. Communication methods.

11. A program for causing a computer to execute the communication method according to claim 10.

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