Route generation device and route generation program

Abstract

To provide a route generation device and a route generation program capable of suppressing a decrease in throughput.SOLUTION: A wireless LAN router 10, which generates a communication path by the wireless LAN router 10 and relay devices 31 to 33, includes a processor 11. The processor 11 acquires, for the relay devices 31 to 33, wireless environment information of the relay devices 31 to 33 and communication method information related to MLO compatibility of the relay devices 31 to 33. The processor 11 generates a first communication path for the relay devices that support MLO among the relay devices 31 to 33 on the basis of the wireless environment information and the communication method information, and generates a second communication path for the relay devices that do not support MLO among the relay devices 31 to 33 on the basis of the wireless environment information, the communication method information, and the first communication path.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a route generation device and a route generation program. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the number of IoT (Internet of Things) devices has increased, and a network environment with stable communication within the home is desired. Therefore, a network environment equipped with multiple wireless LAN (Local Area Network) repeaters has been constructed. As a network system equipped with multiple wireless LAN repeaters, a system in which the wireless LAN repeater determines a communication path is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for setting a mesh network aimed at improving throughput.

[0003] In addition, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) will add a new MLO (Multi Link Operation) function, which will enable MLO-compatible devices to simultaneously transmit and receive data over multiple bands and channels, achieving high speeds, low latency, and high reliability. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-096240 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, because conventional route selection logic does not take the MLO function into consideration, when a network is constructed with a mixture of MLO-compatible and non-compatible relay devices, there is a possibility that a non-MLO-compatible relay device will be incorporated in a route of an MLO-compatible relay device. In this case, even if an MLO-compatible communication terminal connects to an MLO-compatible relay device, the non-MLO-compatible relay device in the route may become a bottleneck, making it impossible to obtain the throughput expected from MLO.

[0006] Furthermore, the mesh network setting method disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not disclose any route setting that takes into consideration a decrease in throughput caused by the presence of relay devices that do not support MLO.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a route generation device and a route generation program capable of suppressing a decrease in throughput. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The route generation device of the present invention is a route generation device that generates a communication route by a parent relay device and a plurality of child relay devices, For the plurality of child relay devices, wireless environment information of the child relay device and communication method information regarding compatibility of the child relay device with a specific communication method are acquired; generating a first communication path for a child relay device corresponding to the communication method among the plurality of child relay devices based on the wireless environment information and the communication method information; generating a second communication path for a child relay device that is incompatible with the communication method among the plurality of child relay devices, based on the wireless environment information, the communication method information, and the first communication path; The device is equipped with a processor.

[0009] The route generation program of the present invention is a route generation program for generating a communication route by a parent relay device and a plurality of child relay devices, The processor: For the plurality of child relay devices, wireless environment information of the child relay device and communication method information regarding compatibility of the child relay device with a specific communication method are acquired; generating a first communication path for a child relay device corresponding to the communication method among the plurality of child relay devices based on the wireless environment information and the communication method information; generating a second communication path for a child relay device that is incompatible with the communication method among the plurality of child relay devices, based on the wireless environment information, the communication method information, and the first communication path; It is for executing processing. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a route generation device and a route generation program capable of suppressing a decrease in throughput. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a communication network to which a route generating device of the present invention is applied. [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a wireless LAN router 10. FIG. [Diagram 3] 13 is a flowchart showing an example of a route generation process performed by the processor 11 of the wireless LAN router 10. [Figure 4] 2 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of the wireless LAN router 10 and relay devices 31 to 33 in the communication network 1. FIG. [Diagram 5] 2 is a diagram showing an example of generation of a first communication path by the wireless LAN router 10. FIG. [Figure 6] 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of generation of a second communication path by the wireless LAN router 10. FIG. [Figure 7] 2 is a diagram showing an example of a connection of a communication terminal 24 that is wirelessly connected to a communication path. FIG. [Figure 8] 11 is a flowchart (part 1) showing a modified example of the route generation process by the wireless LAN router 10. [Figure 9]13 is a flowchart (part 2) showing a modified example of the route generation process by the wireless LAN router 10. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] (Embodiment) <Communication network to which the route generating device of the present invention is applied> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a communication network to which a path generating device of the present invention is applied. The communication network 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a wireless LAN router 10 and relay devices 31 to 33. The communication network 1 is a communication network that generates communication paths for a plurality of wireless devices in a wireless LAN, for example, a mesh network. The wireless LAN router 10 and the relay devices 31 to 33 are connected to any of the devices by wireless communication. The wireless LAN router 10 is an example of a "parent relay device" of the present invention. The relay devices 31 to 33 are an example of a "child relay device" of the present invention. The wireless LAN router 10 is also an example of a "path generating device" of the present invention.

[0014] The wireless LAN router 10 is connected to a network 2 via a communication cable. A gateway device (not shown) is connected between the wireless LAN router 10 and the network 2, and the wireless LAN router 10 is connected to the network 2 via the gateway device. The network 2 is, for example, a WAN (Wide Area Network) such as the Internet.

[0015] The wireless LAN router 10 functions as a router that relays communication between a wireless device connected to the wireless LAN router 10 and the network 2. The gateway device may be built into the wireless LAN router 10. The wireless LAN router 10 also functions as a wireless LAN access point. The wireless LAN router 10 may also have a function such as a switching hub.

[0016] The relay devices 31 to 33 are each wirelessly connected directly or indirectly to the wireless LAN router 10. The relay devices 31 to 33 are connected to the network 2 via the wireless LAN router 10. In this embodiment, the wireless LAN router 10 is a wireless LAN router that operates as a master in the mesh network. The relay devices 31 to 33 operate as slave relay devices that operate under instructions from the wireless LAN router 10 in the mesh network.

[0017] A wireless terminal (such as a communication terminal 24) can be wirelessly connected to the wireless LAN router 10 and the relay devices 31 to 33. The communication terminal 24 is an information terminal capable of performing wireless communication with the wireless LAN router 10 and the relay devices 31 to 33 by connecting to the wireless LAN formed by the wireless LAN router 10 and the relay devices 31 to 33. In the example shown in Fig. 1, the communication terminal 24 is a smartphone.

[0018] <Configuration of Wireless LAN Router 10> Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the wireless LAN router 10. The wireless LAN router 10 shown in Fig. 2 is a wireless device compatible with wireless LAN communication such as Wi-Fi 7. The wireless LAN router 10 includes a processor 11, a main memory 12, an auxiliary memory 13, communication wireless I / Fs 14a to 14c, a wired I / F (WAN) 15, and a wired I / F (LAN) 16.

[0019] The processor 11 is a circuit that performs signal processing, and is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that controls the entire wireless LAN router 10. The processor 11 may be realized by other digital circuits such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). The processor 11 may also be realized by combining a plurality of digital circuits.

[0020] The main memory 12 is, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory). The main memory 12 is used as a work area for the processor 11. The auxiliary memory 13 is, for example, a non-volatile memory such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, or a flash memory. Various programs for operating the wireless LAN router 10 are stored in the auxiliary memory 13. The programs stored in the auxiliary memory 13 are loaded into the main memory 12 and executed by the processor 11.

[0021] The communication wireless I / Fs 14a to 14c are communication interfaces that perform wireless communication with other wireless communication devices (e.g., relay devices 31 to 33, communication terminal 24, etc.) based on, for example, the IEEE802.11be standard. The communication wireless I / F 14a performs wireless communication using a 2.4 GHz band (frequency band). The communication wireless I / F 14b performs wireless communication using a 5 GHz band. The communication wireless I / F 14c performs wireless communication using a 6 GHz band. Using the communication wireless I / Fs 14a to 14c, the wireless LAN router 10 is capable of simultaneous connection (e.g., MLO: Multi-Link Operation) with wireless communication devices in multiple bands.

[0022] The wired I / F 15 is connected to a WAN such as the Internet and communicates with other communication devices via the WAN. The wired I / F 16 is connected to a LAN and communicates with other communication devices via the LAN.

[0023] The wireless LAN router 10 relays data communication between the wireless communication terminal and the WAN side communication device by communicating with the wireless communication terminal via the communication wireless I / Fs 14a to 14c and communicating with the WAN side communication device via the wired I / F 15. The wireless LAN router 10 also relays data communication between the LAN side communication terminal and the WAN side communication device by communicating with the LAN side communication terminal via the wired I / F 16 and communicating with the WAN side communication device via the wired I / F 15.

[0024] Specifically, the processor 11 generates communication paths for multiple wireless devices (e.g., the wireless LAN router 10, and relay devices 31-33) in the wireless LAN. Generating communication paths means determining the "relay source" of each of the relay devices 31-33. The "relay source" refers to a partner with which the relay devices 31-33 directly communicate wirelessly when connecting to the network 2 (a communication partner one step closer to the network 2 than the relay device itself).

[0025] Furthermore, for relay devices 31-33 included in multiple wireless devices in the wireless LAN, the processor 11 acquires "wireless environment information" of the relay devices 31-33 and "communication method information" related to the compatibility of the relay devices 31-33 with a specific communication method. The "wireless environment information" refers to information such as radio wave strength, SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio), and throughput in the wireless LAN. The specific communication method in the "communication method information" refers to a method (e.g., MLO) in which wireless communication is performed using multiple links simultaneously. The multiple links refer to multiple links in different frequency bands (or different channels).

[0026] Furthermore, the processor 11 generates a first communication path for a relay device that supports a specific communication method among the relay devices 31 to 33, based on the wireless environment information and communication method information acquired from the relay devices 31 to 33. For example, the processor 11 generates the first communication path for the relay devices 31 to 33 that support a specific communication method, based on the "number of links" that can be used for that communication method.

[0027] Furthermore, the processor 11 generates a third communication path for the relay devices 31-33 that are compatible with a specific communication method and have a maximum number of links available for that communication method, for example, 3 links (first number of links). Next, the processor 11 generates a fourth communication path for the relay devices 31-33 that are compatible with a specific communication method and have a maximum number of links available for that communication method that is less than 3 links, for example, 2 links (second number of links), based on the third communication path. Then, the processor 11 generates a first communication path based on the third communication path and the fourth communication path. For example, when a relay device can use three links, 6 GHz band, 5 GHz band, and 2.4 GHz band, the processor 11 may first generate a communication path for a relay device that can use three links, then generate a communication path for a relay device that can use two links, 6 GHz and 5 GHz, and then generate a communication path for a relay device that can use two links, 6 GHz or 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz, to generate communication paths for all relay devices.

[0028] Furthermore, the processor 11 generates a first communication path based on a "frequency band" that the relay devices 31-33 compatible with a specific communication method can use in that communication method. The "frequency band" may be a band such as 6 GHz, 5 GHz, or 2.4 GHz, or may be a bandwidth. For example, when the bands of 6 GHz, 5 GHz, and 2.4 GHz are available, the processor 11 may first generate a communication path for a relay device that can use the bands of 6 GHz and 5 GHz, and then generate a communication path for a relay device that can use the bands of 6 GHz or 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz.

[0029] In addition, the processor 11 generates a second communication path for a relay device among the relay devices 31 to 33 that does not support the specific communication method, based on the wireless environment information and communication method information acquired from the relay devices 31 to 33 and the first communication path generated by the relay device that supports the specific communication method.

[0030] Moreover, the processor 11 instructs the relay devices 31 to 33 on their respective connection destinations (relay sources) and connection methods based on the first and second communication paths. The "connection method" refers to the number of links, bands, etc. used in wireless communication.

[0031] Although not shown in the figure, the relay devices 31 to 33 have the same configuration as the wireless LAN router 10. However, the relay devices 31 to 33 have different numbers of communication wireless I / Fs 14a, 14b, and 14c depending on whether they are MLO-compatible or not. The relay devices 31 to 33 may not have wired I / Fs 15 and 16. The communication terminal 24 that can be wirelessly connected to the wireless LAN router 10 and the relay devices 31 to 33 can be simultaneously connected (for example, MLO) in multiple bands (for example, 2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band, and 6 GHz band, etc.). In this example, the wireless LAN router 10 generates communication paths for multiple wireless devices in the wireless LAN, but this is not limited to this. For example, the relay devices 31 to 33 may generate the communication paths, or devices other than the relay devices (for example, a dedicated control device or server provided separately) may generate the communication paths.

[0032] <Route Generation Process by Wireless LAN Router 10> 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a route generation process by the processor 11 of the wireless LAN router 10. Here, a device that executes the route generation process is called a Master, and a device that configures a route based on an instruction from the Master is called a Slave. In Wi-Fi Easy Mesh, the Master is called a Controller, and the Slave is called an Agent. In the communication network 1, the wireless LAN router 10 is the Controller, and the relay devices 31 to 33 are the Agents.

[0033] First, the wireless LAN router 10, which is the Controller, selects an Agent that has not been selected in this route generation process from among the relay devices 31 to 33 that configure the wireless LAN together with the wireless LAN router 10 (step S11). Next, the wireless LAN router 10 determines whether the selected Agent selected in step S11 supports MLO (step S12).

[0034] In step S12, if the selected Agent supports MLO (step S12: Yes), the wireless LAN router 10 selects a route for the communication path of the selected Agent (step S13). Selecting a route for the selected Agent that supports MLO means selecting a relay source for the selected Agent from among relay devices (including the wireless LAN router 10) that support MLO.

[0035] For example, the wireless LAN router 10 determines an optimal communication route among the communication routes that can use MLO in each wireless section for the selected Agent to communicate with the network 2, based on the wireless environment information and communication method information acquired from the relay devices 31 to 33. The optimal communication route is determined, for example, based on the small number of hops (number of relays) and the high minimum throughput. In the determined communication route, a device that is one device closer to the network 2 than the selected Agent becomes the relay source of the selected Agent. In the route selection in step S13, there may be cases where the selected Agent does not have a partner device that supports MLO and can wirelessly communicate due to physical factors such as the distance between the devices being far away or radio waves not reaching the device due to obstacles, and the selected Agent is unable to select a route.

[0036] In step S12, if the selected Agent does not support MLO (step S12: No), the wireless LAN router 10 proceeds to step S14 without selecting a route for the selected Agent.

[0037] Next, the wireless LAN router 10 determines whether or not all Agents have been selected (step S14).

[0038] If not all Agents have been selected in step S14 (step S14: No), the wireless LAN router 10 returns to step S11 and performs the processes of each step. On the other hand, if all Agents have been selected in step S14 (step S14: Yes), the wireless LAN router 10 resets the selection history of the Agents selected in step S11 (step S15). As a result, for example, all of the relay devices 31 to 33 become targets for selection in step S16 described below.

[0039] Next, the wireless LAN router 10 selects an unselected Agent from among the relay devices 31 to 33 that together with the wireless LAN router 10 form the wireless LAN (step S16), in the same manner as in step S11 above.

[0040] Next, the wireless LAN router 10 determines whether or not the selected Agent selected in step S16 is incompatible with MLO (step S17).

[0041] In step S17, if the selected Agent does not support MLO (step S17: Yes), the wireless LAN router 10 selects a route for the communication path of the selected Agent (step S18). The route selection for the selected Agent that does not support MLO includes not only the case where a relay source for the selected Agent is selected from among relay devices (including the wireless LAN router 10) that support MLO, but also the case where a relay source for the selected Agent is selected from among relay devices that do not support MLO.

[0042] For example, the wireless LAN router 10 determines an optimal communication path for the selected Agent to communicate with the network 2, based on the wireless environment information and communication method information acquired from the relay devices 31 to 33. This communication path may not be available for MLO in at least a part of the wireless section.

[0043] In step S17, if the selected Agent is not incompatible (compatible) with MLO (step S17: No), the wireless LAN router 10 judges whether the selected Agent (compatible with MLO) is in an unselected state where a route has not yet been selected (step S19). If the selected Agent is in an unselected state (step S19: Yes), the wireless LAN router 10 proceeds to step S18 and selects a route for the selected Agent. If the selected Agent is not in an unselected state (step S19: No), the wireless LAN router 10 proceeds to step S20 without selecting a route for the selected Agent.

[0044] Next, the wireless LAN router 10 determines whether or not all Agents have been selected (step S20).

[0045] If all Agents have not been selected in step S20 (step S20: No), the wireless LAN router 10 returns to step S16 and performs the process of each step. On the other hand, if all Agents have been selected in step S20 (step S20: Yes), the wireless LAN router 10 ends this route generation process.

[0046] <Operation of communication network 1> FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of the wireless LAN router 10 and the relay devices 31 to 33 in the communication network 1. As shown in FIG.

[0047] First, the wireless LAN router 10 periodically transmits an information transmission request to the relay devices 31 to 33 to request information related to the wireless communication of each relay device (step S21). The information transmission request may be transmitted by broadcast or unicast, for example.

[0048] Next, the relay device 31 scans for beacons transmitted by connectable wireless LAN routers in the communication network 1, thereby detecting an information transmission request from the wireless LAN router 10 from the beacons (step S22). Similarly, the relay device 32 scans (step S23), and the relay device 33 scans (step S24), thereby detecting an information transmission request from the wireless LAN router 10 from the beacons.

[0049] Next, in response to the information transmission request from the wireless LAN router 10 detected during the scan (step S22), the relay device 31 transmits the wireless environment information and communication method information possessed by the relay device 31 to the wireless LAN router 10 (step S25). Similarly, in response to the information transmission request detected during the scan (step S23), the relay device 32 transmits the wireless environment information and communication method information possessed by the relay device 32 to the wireless LAN router 10 (step S25). In response to the information transmission request detected during the scan (step S24), the relay device 33 transmits the wireless environment information and communication method information possessed by the relay device 33 to the wireless LAN router 10 (step S25).

[0050] The "radio environment information" is information including radio wave strength, SNR, throughput, etc., as described above. For example, the radio environment information transmitted by the relay device 31 includes radio wave strength between the wireless LAN router 10 and each of the relay devices 32 and 33. The radio environment information transmitted by the relay device 32 includes radio wave strength between the wireless LAN router 10 and each of the relay devices 31 and 33. The radio environment information transmitted by the relay device 33 includes radio wave strength between the wireless LAN router 10 and each of the relay devices 31 and 32. The "communication method information" is information including a method (e.g., MLO) for performing wireless communication using multiple links simultaneously, as described above.

[0051] Next, the wireless LAN router 10 performs a route generation process to generate a communication route between the wireless LAN router 10 and the relay devices 31 to 33 in the communication network 1 based on the wireless environment information and communication method information received from the relay devices 31 to 33 (step S26). This route generation process is, for example, the route generation process shown in FIG.

[0052] Next, the wireless LAN router 10 transmits relay source information including information on the "relay source" of the relay devices 31-33 selected in the route generation process of step S26 to the relay devices 31-33 (step S27). As a result, the relay devices 31-33 recognize the relay source that is the communication destination of each of the relay devices.

[0053] Next, the relay devices 31-33 transmit a response signal to the wireless LAN router 10 notifying that the relay source information has been received (step S28). Next, after receiving the response signal from the relay devices 31-33, the wireless LAN router 10 transmits a relay source change instruction to the relay devices 31-33 to instruct them to change the relay source (step S29).

[0054] Next, the relay device 31 changes the relay source of the relay device 31 in the communication network 1 based on the relay source change instruction from the wireless LAN router 10 in step S29 (step S30). Note that if the new relay source instructed in the relay source change instruction from the wireless LAN router 10 in step S29 is the same communication partner as the current relay source, the change process does not need to be performed. Similarly, the relay device 32 changes the relay source of the relay device 32 based on the relay source change instruction from the wireless LAN router 10 in step S29 (step S31). Also, the relay device 33 changes the relay source of the relay device 33 based on the relay source change instruction from the wireless LAN router 10 in step S29 (step S32).

[0055] <Generation of the First Communication Path by the Wireless LAN Router 10> 5 is a diagram showing an example of generation of a first communication path by the wireless LAN router 10. The wireless LAN router 10, relay devices 31 to 33, and communication terminal 24 shown in FIG. 5 correspond to the devices and equipment of the communication network 1 shown in FIG.

[0056] First, the wireless LAN router 10 transmits an "information transmission request" to the relay devices 31-33 as described in Fig. 4, and receives "radio environment information" and "communication method information" from the relay devices 31-33 as response information. Based on the received radio environment information and communication method information, the wireless LAN router 10 first generates a route to a relay device that supports MLO. In this example, it is assumed that the wireless LAN router 10 and the relay devices 31 and 32 are devices that support MLO, and the relay device 33 is a device that does not support MLO. It is also assumed that the wireless LAN router 10 and the relay devices 31 and 32 are capable of MLO with two links, the 5 GHz band and the 6 GHz band.

[0057] The wireless LAN router 10 selects one relay device from among the relay devices 31 to 33 in order. For example, it is assumed that the wireless LAN router 10 first selects the relay device 31. The relay device 31 is an MLO-compatible relay device. The wireless LAN router 10 then provisionally selects the same MLO-compatible wireless LAN router 10 as the relay source of the relay device 31. At this time, the wireless LAN router 10 associates, for example, the "throughput" between the wireless LAN router 10 and the relay device 31 in the "wireless environment information" received from the relay device 31 with the relay device 31 and stores it.

[0058] Next, it is assumed that the wireless LAN router 10 selects the relay device 32 second. The relay device 32 is an MLO-compatible relay device. The wireless LAN router 10 generates a route by adding the relay device 32 to the wireless LAN router 10 and the relay device 31, which are also MLO-compatible devices. The wireless LAN router 10 compares the "throughput" between the wireless LAN router 10 and the relay device 32 in the "wireless environment information" received from the relay device 32 with the "throughput" between the wireless LAN router 10 and the relay device 31 stored above. In this example, it is assumed that the "throughput" between the wireless LAN router 10 and the relay device 31 is greater than the "throughput" between the wireless LAN router 10 and the relay device 32. As a result, the wireless LAN router 10 determines the wireless LAN router 10, which was provisionally selected as the relay source of the relay device 31, as the relay source of the relay device 31.

[0059] Next, the wireless LAN router 10 selects the relay source of the relay device 32 from the wireless LAN router 10 or the relay device 31. The wireless LAN router 10 calculates the direct throughput when the relay device 32 and the wireless LAN router 10 perform direct wireless communication, and the throughput between the relay device 32 and the wireless LAN router 10 when the relay device 31 is interposed between the two devices. The wireless LAN router 10 selects the relay source of the relay device 31 based on the calculated throughputs. In this example, it is assumed that the throughput between the relay device 32 and the wireless LAN router 10 when the relay device 31 is interposed is greater than the direct throughput between the relay device 32 and the wireless LAN router 10 when no other device is interposed between them. Therefore, the wireless LAN router 10 selects the relay device 31 as the relay source of the relay device 32.

[0060] Next, assume that the wireless LAN router 10 selects the relay device 33 as the third relay device. The relay device 33 is a relay device that does not support MLO. Therefore, the wireless LAN router 10 excludes the relay device 33 from the route generation for the relay devices that support MLO.

[0061] As a result, a first communication path is generated that is configured by the relay devices 31 and 32 that support MLO in the 5 GHz band and the 6 GHz band and the wireless LAN router 10, as shown in Fig. 5. The relay devices 31 and 32 recognize the relay source that is the communication destination of the relay device itself, but may be configured to recognize not only the relay source but also the entire first communication path that is configured by the relay devices 31 and 32 and the wireless LAN router 10.

[0062] <Generation of the Second Communication Path by the Wireless LAN Router 10> Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of generation of a second communication path by the wireless LAN router 10. As described in Fig. 5, when the first communication path from the MLO-compatible relay devices 31 and 32 to the wireless LAN router 10 is generated, the wireless LAN router 10 then generates a path to the MLO-incompatible relay device based on the received wireless environment information and communication method information.

[0063] The wireless LAN router 10 selects one relay device from among the relay devices 31 to 33 in order. For example, it is assumed that the wireless LAN router 10 first selects the relay device 31. The relay device 31 is an MLO-compatible relay device. Therefore, the wireless LAN router 10 excludes the relay device 31 from the route generation for the relay devices that do not support MLO. Next, it is assumed that the wireless LAN router 10 selects the relay device 32 second. Since the relay device 32 is also an MLO-compatible relay device, the wireless LAN router 10 excludes the relay device 31 from the route generation for the relay devices that do not support MLO.

[0064] Next, assume that the wireless LAN router 10 selects the relay device 33 as the third relay device. The relay device 33 is a relay device that does not support MLO. If the selected relay device does not support MLO, the wireless LAN router 10 selects the relay source of the MLO-incompatible relay device 33 from among MLO-compatible devices and MLO-incompatible devices. Therefore, the wireless LAN router 10 selects the relay source of the relay device 33 from among the wireless LAN router 10 and the relay devices 31 and 32 (both of which are MLO-compatible devices in this example). The wireless LAN router 10 calculates the throughput when the relay device 33 and the wireless LAN router 10 directly communicate with each other via the relay device 31, and the throughput between the relay device 33 and the wireless LAN router 10 when the relay device 31 and the relay device 32 are interposed between the relay device 33 and the wireless LAN router 10. The wireless LAN router 10 selects the relay source of the relay device 33 based on the calculated throughput. In this example, it is assumed that the throughput between the relay device 33 and the wireless LAN router 10 when the relay device 31 is interposed therebetween is greater than the direct throughput between the relay device 33 and the wireless LAN router 10 when no other device is interposed therebetween and the throughput between the relay device 33 and the wireless LAN router 10 when the relay devices 31 and 32 are interposed therebetween. Therefore, the wireless LAN router 10 selects the relay device 31 as the relay source of the relay device 33.

[0065] 6, a second communication path is generated from the non-MLO-compatible relay device 33 to the wireless LAN router 10 via the MLO-compatible relay device 31. The relay device 33 recognizes the relay source that is the communication destination of the relay device itself, but it may be configured to recognize not only the relay source but also the entire second communication path configured by the relay devices 33, 31 and the wireless LAN router 10.

[0066] <Example of connection of communication terminal 24 to communication path> Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a connection of a communication terminal 24 wirelessly connected to a communication path. As shown in Fig. 7, in a wireless LAN configured with a wireless LAN router 10 and relay devices 31 to 33, it is assumed that the communication terminal 24 is wirelessly connected to, for example, the relay device 32. In this case, the communication terminal 24 is connected to the wireless LAN router 10 via a first communication path having high throughput, which is configured with the wireless LAN router 10 and the relay devices 31 and 32 that support MLO, in a section from the communication terminal 24 to the wireless LAN router 10.

[0067] In this way, the wireless LAN router 10 of the embodiment acquires the wireless environment information of the relay devices 31 to 33 included in the multiple wireless devices and the communication method information related to the compatibility of the relay devices 31 to 33 with MLO in generating a communication path by the multiple wireless devices, generates a first communication path for the relay device that supports MLO among the relay devices 31 to 33 based on the wireless environment information and the communication method information, and then generates a second communication path for the relay device that does not support MLO among the relay devices 31 to 33 based on the wireless environment information, the communication method information, and the first communication path. According to this configuration, the entire mesh network can be constructed by constructing a mesh network including devices that do not support MLO after constructing a mesh network only with devices that support MLO. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a bottleneck caused by incorporating a device that does not support MLO into a mesh network constructed with devices that support MLO, and to suppress a decrease in the throughput of the entire network.

[0068] <Modification of route generation process> 8 and 9 are flowcharts showing a modified example of the route generation process by the wireless LAN router 10. The route generation process of this modified example differs from the route generation process described in FIG. 3 in that, when the selected Agent (relay devices 31-33) is an MLO-compatible device, a communication route is generated between devices having the same number of usable links of the MLO.

[0069] First, the wireless LAN router 10 selects an Agent that has not been selected in this route generation process from among the relay devices 31 to 33 that configure the wireless LAN together with the wireless LAN router 10 (step S41). This process is similar to the process in step S11 in FIG.

[0070] Next, the wireless LAN router 10 judges whether the selected Agent selected in step S41 supports MLO that allows three links to be used (step S42). The ability to use three links means that three links, for example, the 6 GHz band, the 5 GHz band, and the 2.4 GHz band, can be used.

[0071] In addition, in step S42, the processing of steps S43 and S44 in the case where the selected Agent supports or does not support MLO that can use three links is similar to the processing of steps S13 and S14 in Fig. 3, and therefore the description will be omitted. In the route selection in step S43, due to physical factors such as the distance between the devices being far or radio waves not reaching due to obstacles, the selected Agent may not have a partner device that supports three-link MLO with which it can wirelessly communicate, and therefore the selected Agent may not be able to select a route. In addition, the processing of the subsequent steps S45 and S46 is similar to the processing of steps S15 and S16 in Fig. 3, and therefore the description will be omitted.

[0072] Next, the wireless LAN router 10 judges whether the selected Agent selected in step S46 supports MLO that allows two links to be used (step S47). For example, allowing two links to be used means that only two of the three links, 6 GHz band, 5 GHz band, and 2.4 GHz band, can be used.

[0073] In step S47, if the selected Agent supports two-link MLO (step S47: Yes), a route for the selected Agent is selected (step S48). In the route selection in step S48, there may be cases where the selected Agent does not have a partner device that supports two-link MLO with which it can wirelessly communicate due to physical factors such as the distance between the devices being far away or radio waves not reaching the device due to obstacles, and therefore the route for the selected Agent cannot be selected.

[0074] In step S47, if the selected Agent does not support two-link MLO (step S47: No), the wireless LAN router 10 judges whether the selected Agent supports three-link MLO and is in a state where a route has not been selected (step S49). If the selected Agent is in a state where a route has not been selected (step S49: Yes), the wireless LAN router 10 proceeds to step S48 and selects a route for the selected selected Agent. If the selected Agent does not support three-link MLO or is not in a state where a route has not been selected (step S49: No), the wireless LAN router 10 proceeds to step S50 without selecting a route for the selected Agent.

[0075] Next, the wireless LAN router 10 determines whether or not all Agents have been selected (step S50).

[0076] If all Agents have not been selected in step S50 (step S50: No), the wireless LAN router 10 returns to step S46 and performs the processes in each step. On the other hand, if all Agents have been selected in step S50 (step S50: Yes), the wireless LAN router 10 proceeds to step S51 (FIG. 9).

[0077] The processing from step S51 to step S56 is similar to the processing from step S15 to step S20 in FIG. 3, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted.

[0078] According to the route generation process of the above modification, when constructing a mesh network with only MLO-compatible devices, a communication route can be generated based on the number of available links of each device. Even with this configuration, it is possible to reduce bottlenecks caused by incorporating non-MLO-compatible devices into a mesh network constructed with MLO-compatible devices, and to suppress a decrease in the throughput of the entire network.

[0079] In the above modification, a case where a communication path is generated for each number of available links of a selected Agent (relay device compatible with MLO) has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a communication path may be generated based on a frequency band available for a selected Agent (relay device compatible with MLO). Specifically, in steps S42, S47, etc. in the path generation process of Figs. 8 and 9, the wireless LAN router 10 may determine whether the selected Agent supports MLO available in the 6 GHz and 5 GHz bands, then whether it supports MLO available in the 6 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands, then whether it supports MLO available in the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands, etc.

[0080] Even when communication paths are generated based on the frequency bands available to each device in this manner, it is possible to suppress a decrease in throughput of the entire network, as in the embodiment.

[0081] <Modification of the route generation device> Although the wireless LAN router 10 has been described as an example of a route generation device, the route generation device is not limited to the wireless LAN router 10. For example, the route generation device may be any of the relay devices 31 to 33, the communication terminal 24, or another communication device (for example, a physical server or a cloud server) connected to the network 2.

[0082] (About the route generation program) The route generation method described in the above-mentioned embodiment can be realized by executing a route generation program prepared in advance on a computer. The route generation program is recorded in a computer-readable storage medium and executed by being read from the storage medium. The route generation program may be provided in a form stored in a non-transient storage medium such as a flash memory, or may be provided via a network such as the Internet. The computer that executes the route generation program may be included in a route generation device, or may be included in an electronic device such as a smartphone, tablet terminal, or personal computer that can communicate with the route generation device, or may be included in a server device that can communicate with these route generation devices and electronic devices.

[0083] As described above, this specification discloses the following:

[0084] The disclosed path generation device is a path generation device that generates a communication path by a parent relay device and a plurality of child relay devices, and includes a processor that acquires, for the plurality of child relay devices, radio environment information of the child relay device and communication method information regarding the support of the child relay device for a specific communication method, generates a first communication path for a child relay device among the plurality of child relay devices that is compatible with the communication method based on the radio environment information and the communication method information, and generates a second communication path for a child relay device among the plurality of child relay devices that is not compatible with the communication method based on the radio environment information, the communication method information, and the first communication path.

[0085] In the disclosed route generation device, the communication method is a method of performing wireless communication using a plurality of links simultaneously.

[0086] In the disclosed route generation device, the processor generates the first communication route based on the number of links that a child relay device corresponding to the communication method can use in the communication method.

[0087] The disclosed route generation device generates the first communication route by having the processor generate a third communication route for a child relay device corresponding to the communication method and having a first number of links that can be used for the communication method, and based on the third communication route, generate a fourth communication route for a child relay device corresponding to the communication method and having a second number of links that can be used for the communication method, the second number of links being smaller than the first number of links.

[0088] In the disclosed path generation device, the processor generates the first communication path based on a frequency band that a child relay device corresponding to the communication method can use in the communication method.

[0089] In the disclosed path generation device, the processor instructs the multiple child relay devices on a connection destination and a connection method based on the first communication path and the second communication path.

[0090] The disclosed route generating device is provided in the parent relay device.

[0091] The disclosed route generation program is a route generation program that generates a communication route through a parent relay device and multiple child relay devices, and causes a processor to execute processing to acquire, for the multiple child relay devices, radio environment information of the child relay device and communication method information regarding the support of the child relay device for a specific communication method, generate a first communication route for a child relay device among the multiple child relay devices that supports the communication method based on the radio environment information and the communication method information, and generate a second communication route for a child relay device among the multiple child relay devices that does not support the communication method based on the radio environment information, the communication method information, and the first communication route. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 1. Communication Network 2 Network 10. Wireless LAN Router 11 Processors 12. Main memory 13 Auxiliary Memory 14a~14c Communication wireless I / F 15,16 Wired I / F 24 Communication terminals 31~33 Relay device

Claims

1. A route generating device that generates a communication route by a parent relay device and a plurality of child relay devices, For the plurality of child relay devices, wireless environment information of the child relay device and communication method information regarding compatibility of the child relay device with a specific communication method are acquired; generating a first communication path for a child relay device corresponding to the communication method among the plurality of child relay devices based on the wireless environment information and the communication method information; generating a second communication path for a child relay device that is incompatible with the communication method among the plurality of child relay devices, based on the wireless environment information, the communication method information, and the first communication path; A path generation device comprising a processor.

2. The route generating device according to claim 1 , The communication method is a method for performing wireless communication using multiple links simultaneously. Path generation device.

3. The route generating device according to claim 2, the processor generates the first communication path based on a number of links that a child relay device corresponding to the communication method can use in the communication method. Path generation device.

4. The route generating device according to claim 3, The processor, generating a third communication path for a child relay device that has a first number of links as a maximum number of links that can be used in the communication method among the child relay devices corresponding to the communication method; By generating a fourth communication path for a child relay device, among the child relay devices corresponding to the communication method, in which the maximum number of links available for the communication method is a second number of links which is smaller than the first number of links, based on the third communication path, generating the first communication path; Path generation device.

5. The route generating device according to claim 3, the processor generates the first communication path based on a frequency band that a slave relay device corresponding to the communication method can use in the communication method. Path generation device.

6. The route generating device according to claim 1 , the processor instructs the plurality of child relay devices as to a connection destination and a connection method based on the first communication path and the second communication path. Path generation device.

7. 7. A route generation device according to claim 1, further comprising: provided in the parent relay device, Path generation device.

8. A route generation program for generating a communication route by a parent relay device and a plurality of child relay devices, The processor: For the plurality of child relay devices, wireless environment information of the child relay device and communication method information regarding compatibility of the child relay device with a specific communication method are acquired; generating a first communication path for a child relay device corresponding to the communication method among the plurality of child relay devices based on the wireless environment information and the communication method information; generating a second communication path for a child relay device that is incompatible with the communication method among the plurality of child relay devices, based on the wireless environment information, the communication method information, and the first communication path; A route generation program for executing the process.

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