Radio communication device, radio communication system, radio communication method, and program

Abstract

To provide a radio communication device, a radio communication system, a radio communication method, and a program which can guarantee fairness while reducing a transmission time.SOLUTION: The wireless communication device includes: a transmission window determination unit for determining a transmission window formed by combining a plurality of transmission slots during a duty cycle period; a rest time determination unit for determining a rest time according to the determined transmission window in the duty cycle period; and a transmission unit for wirelessly transmitting data by the determined transmission window.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a wireless communication device, a wireless communication system, a wireless communication method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Wireless access technologies such as wireless local area network (WLAN) are known. Patent Document 1 describes dynamically changing the duty cycle in a WLAN channel. The duty cycle defines the time for transmitting data and the time for pausing data transmission in a predetermined period.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in Patent Document 1, only the interval of time slots is adjusted according to the traffic in the wireless band. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, there are cases where the transmission time cannot be shortened and fairness cannot be guaranteed for other wireless communication devices.

[0005] In view of such problems, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a wireless communication device, a wireless communication system, a wireless communication method, and a program capable of shortening the transmission time while guaranteeing fairness.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A wireless communication device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a transmission window determination means for determining a transmission window combining a plurality of transmission slots during a duty cycle period; a pause time determination means for determining a pause time according to the determined transmission window during the duty cycle period; and a transmission means for wirelessly transmitting data in the determined transmission window.

[0007] A wireless communication system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a transmission window determination means for determining a transmission window combining a plurality of transmission slots during a duty cycle period; a pause time determination means for determining a pause time according to the determined transmission window during the duty cycle period; and a transmission means for wirelessly transmitting data in the determined transmission window.

[0008] A wireless communication method according to an aspect of the present disclosure determines a transmission window combining a plurality of transmission slots during a duty cycle period, determines a pause time according to the determined transmission window during the duty cycle period, and wirelessly transmits data in the determined transmission window.

[0009] A program according to an aspect of the present disclosure is a program for causing a computer to execute processes of determining a transmission window combining a plurality of transmission slots during a duty cycle period, determining a pause time according to the determined transmission window during the duty cycle period, and wirelessly transmitting data in the determined transmission window.

Advantages of the Invention

[0010] According to the present disclosure, fairness can be guaranteed while shortening the transmission time.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

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Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted as necessary.

[0013] (Consideration of Related Technologies) With the evolution of wireless systems in the unlicensed band (license - free frequency band), it has become possible to use new frequency bands and modulation methods. However, little attention has been paid to the design of the wireless duty cycle. In the wireless duty cycle in related technologies (sometimes referred to as the related duty cycle), it operates in an old - fashioned way of starting and stopping wireless transmission by switching on / off. This was acceptable in the past when data traffic was best - effort and of low quality.

[0014] However, the existence of new use cases such as teleoperation has made the requirements for system performance and wireless transmission more stringent. Therefore, the inventors focused on the duty cycle to examine whether the traditional related - duty - cycle operation is sufficient or whether another approach is needed.

[0015] The related duty cycle is insufficient for sensitive data transmission of HAV (Haptic Audio Video) data in a teleoperation system. In such a system, it is necessary to reduce data buffering and respond in real - time. That is, data needs to be transmitted as soon as it arrives at the transmission queue. Also, it is necessary to ensure fairness and meet regulatory requirements because it is necessary to consider the duty - cycle requirements in various regions, as the upper limit is set at 10% for wireless sensor networks in Japan.

[0016] For example, license-free wireless access technologies such as WLAN are important components for future tactile and haptic systems. License-free wireless systems are user-friendly and easy to introduce and operate. Therefore, they are ideal candidates for the operation of tactile and haptic applications. However, tactile and haptic systems require very special performance in terms of QoS (Quality of Service) and QoE (Quality of Experience) to satisfy remote users over long distances such as a wireless communication range of several kilometers.

[0017] Current wireless systems have drawbacks in major performance metrics such as latency, reliability, packet loss, and throughput. That is, in order to comply with regulations, the amount of data transmitted in a wireless system is limited by duty cycle operation. In duty cycle operation, the time when a wireless station is permitted to transmit data or the time when it is necessary to stop transmitting data is determined. Such duty cycle operation is inefficient and particularly limits the use of wireless systems in tactile and haptic systems. Such duty cycles are a major factor in potential instability in tactile and haptic systems. That is, such duty cycle operation causes system instability and has an adverse effect on the receiving side of tactile and haptic systems.

[0018] Therefore, in the embodiments, the design and operation of the wireless duty cycle are changed to improve real-time performance and system stability. The changed duty cycle may be referred to as a modified (modulated) duty cycle.

[0019] As a specific example, a new license-free wireless system such as IEEE 802.11ah enables wireless long-distance communication links over several kilometers in an outdoor environment. This is due to the use of the sub-1GHz frequency band and advanced PHY (physical) and MAC (media access control) functions in IEEE 802.11ax and the like. However, since IEEE 802.11ah or IEEE 802.11ax is not optimized for tactile and haptic systems, it provides an inefficient duty cycle method.

[0020] Therefore, in an embodiment, one objective is to improve the operation of a wireless system such as IEEE 802.11ah, also called Wi-Fi Halo, for use in tactile and haptic systems.

[0021] (Consideration of Specific Issues) Performing remote operations and transmitting multimodal data including haptic data, audio data, and video data (HAV data) is a difficult process. Wide area networks may have a negative impact on the user experience because of the long wired and wireless connection links. The user experience is very important and is measured as the quality of experience (QoE). Since the range of current remote operation systems is limited, the QoE on wide area networks is low. Therefore, although remote operations are mostly performed in close proximity such as within the same room or building, they are not performed over long distances such as in municipalities or continents. That is, when remote operations are performed over long distances, the QoE becomes very low. In this case, there is a possibility of losing reliability due to problems such as delay or loss of HAV data.

[0022] Haptic data is distinguished as kinesthetic data and tactile data. Kinesthetic data includes force, torque, and pressure. These data are very susceptible to the effects of transmission delay, jitter, and packet loss. When delays and losses occur in data signals, events that cannot be recognized by human perception may occur. Furthermore, the delay of haptic data may cause incorrect judgments or delays in judgment by human perception, i.e., the human brain. Delayed haptic data may be ignored by the human central nervous system and lost as an important signal.

[0023] The problem is that due to the duty cycle of the related WLAN system, even for wireless stations that do not exist or have no traffic, equal access opportunities are provided to all wireless stations. As a result, wireless stations with medium or high data traffic loads are at a disadvantage. In the related WLAN system, the WLAN client cannot respond to increase the probability of traffic transmission. This is because it is necessary to avoid selfish behavior in a scenario where there are no other wireless stations in the vicinity. For this reason, the traffic of a single data stream is significantly reduced. Therefore, it is necessary to support a convenient approach that enables the data transmission of the WLAN client when there is traffic to be transmitted (data in the queue).

[0024] In tactile and haptic systems, multimodal data, i.e., audio, video, and haptic data, is used. There are multiple data streams that need to be synchronized to provide high QoS and high QoE for the user experience. Since it has an adverse effect on data transmission, the design of the passive communication path is important. The passive communication path helps to keep the system in a stable state, and the follower side of the tactile and haptic systems can operate in a safe and secure environment. The design of the modified duty cycle in the embodiments helps to support the passive communication link.

[0025] For long-distance remote operation, there are very important requirements regarding the communication path. The endpoints of remote operation (leader, follower) are very complex systems composed of sensors, actuators, motors, springs, and dampers. Therefore, the communication path (for example, via a license-free wireless Wi-Fi connection) should not interfere with the remote operation itself. That is, the duty cycle of the wireless system may affect the stability of the systems on the leader side and the follower side. The remote operation system needs to ensure the stability of the entire remote operation system, but it is difficult to achieve this in the related wireless system. For example, data transmission via a wide area network may have an adverse effect on the system impedance. It is most important that the wireless duty cycle realizes low latency, operates passively, and reduces system drift between the leader and the follower. However, it is difficult to achieve this in the related wireless system.

[0026] (Overview of Embodiment) Next, an overview of the embodiment will be described. Here, it will be described as an overview of the embodiment, but it may also be implemented as one embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a wireless communication device 10 according to some embodiments. For example, the wireless communication device 10 may be a wireless access point of a leader device or a wireless station of a follower device in a remote operation system.

[0027] In the example of FIG. 1, the wireless communication device 10 includes a transmission window determination unit 11, a pause time determination unit 12, and a transmission unit 13. The transmission window determination unit 11 determines a transmission window combining a plurality of transmission slots during the duty cycle period. The pause time determination unit 12 determines a pause time according to the transmission window determined by the transmission window determination unit 11 during the duty cycle period. That is, the transmission window determination unit 11 and the pause time determination unit 12 are also duty cycle determination units that determine the duty cycle operation during the duty cycle period.

[0028] For example, the transmission window determination unit 11 may determine the transmission window based on the result of performing a modulo operation with the sample time indicating the time in the duty cycle period as the input. The transmission window determination unit 11 may determine a plurality of transmission windows such that the window period becomes longer in order from the beginning of the duty cycle period by modulo operation.

[0029] The pause time determination unit 12 may determine the pause time according to the regulation requirements of the duty cycle. The regulation requirements are, for example, that the transmission time (transmission window) is 10% of the upper limit of the duty cycle. The transmission window determination unit 11 may determine the transmission window in the first period on the beginning side of the duty cycle period, and the pause time determination unit 12 may determine the pause time in the second period on the end side of the duty cycle period. The pause time determination unit 12 may impose a penalty on the combined transmission slot and determine the pause time according to the transmission slot on which the penalty is imposed.

[0030] The transmission unit 13 wirelessly transmits data within the transmission window determined by the transmission window determination unit 11. That is, the transmission unit 13 executes the duty cycle operation determined by the transmission window determination unit 11 and the pause time determination unit 12. For example, the wireless communication device 10 may include a transmission queue for storing data to be transmitted, and the transmission unit 13 may transmit the data stored in the transmission queue. For example, the data to be transmitted is HAV data including any one of haptic data, audio data, and video data in a remote operation system. For example, the transmission window determination unit 11 and the pause time determination unit 12 may determine the transmission window and the pause time when a predetermined amount or more of data is stored in the transmission queue.

[0031] Note that each part in the wireless communication device 10 may be included in one device or a plurality of devices, or may be included in a wireless communication system including one device or a plurality of devices. FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of a wireless communication system 20 according to some embodiments. For example, the wireless communication system 20 is a remote control system including a leader device and a follower device. In the example of FIG. 2, the wireless communication system 20 includes the transmission window determination unit 11, the pause time determination unit 12, and the transmission unit 13 shown in FIG. 1. For example, the transmission window determination unit 11, the pause time determination unit 12, and the transmission unit 13 may be arranged in either the leader device or the follower device, or may be distributed and arranged in a plurality of devices.

[0032] FIG. 3 shows an example of a wireless communication method according to some embodiments. For example, the wireless communication method according to some embodiments is executed by the wireless communication device 10 in FIG. 1 or the wireless communication system 20 in FIG. 2.

[0033] In the example of FIG. 3, the transmission window determination unit 11 determines a transmission window combining a plurality of transmission slots during the duty cycle period (S11). For example, the transmission window determination unit 11 determines the transmission window at the beginning side of the duty cycle period. Next, the pause time determination unit 12 determines a pause time according to the determined transmission window during the duty cycle period (S12). For example, the pause time determination unit 12 determines the pause time at the end side of the duty cycle period. Next, the transmission unit 13 wirelessly transmits data in the determined transmission window (S13).

[0034] As described above, in the embodiment, for example, in a wireless communication device included in a leader device or a follower device in a remote operation system, a duty cycle operation is determined. Specifically, during the duty cycle period, by determining a transmission window that combines a plurality of transmission slots, the transmission opportunity can be increased, and HAV data or the like can be transmitted with low latency. That is, the transmission time can be shortened. Also, by determining the pause time according to the transmission window that combines the transmission slots, fairness in the wireless communication system can be guaranteed.

[0035] (Embodiment 1) Next, Embodiment 1 will be described. This embodiment is an example of changing the duty cycle operation in a remote operation system.

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a configuration example of a remote operation system 1 according to some embodiments. In the example of FIG. 4, the remote operation system 1 includes a leader device 100, a follower device 200, and a wireless network 300.

[0037] The remote operation system 1 is a system for tactile and haptic remote operation via a wireless network 300. The wireless network 300 includes a wireless access point (WLAN AP110 of the leader device 100) and a wireless station (WLAN STA210 of the follower device 200) to form a wireless communication system. For example, the wireless network 300 is characterized by latency, delay, error rate, and other wireless data transmission quality metrics.

[0038] For example, the wireless network 300 is an IEEE 802.11ah sub-1GHz WLAN, also known as Wi-Fi Halo. IEEE 802.11ah enables long-distance wireless transmission over several kilometers (km) in an outdoor environment. The wireless network 300 may be a network compliant with other wireless protocols such as IEEE 802.11ax, not limited to IEEE 802.11ah. In this embodiment, even in other wireless protocols, by changing and enhancing the wireless duty cycle, the adverse impact on the operation of the wireless system can be reduced.

[0039] For example, the remote operation system 1 is a system that supports medical procedures such as surgeries at a remote location. The follower device 200 is a device arranged at the location where an actual surgery is performed on a patient (for example, the user 240 of the follower device 200). The leader device 100 is a device arranged at the location where the surgeon (for example, the user 140 of the leader device 100) performing the surgery operates. When the surgeon performs the surgical operation, an instruction regarding the operation is transmitted from the leader device 100 to the follower device 200. The follower device 200 controls the surgical robot connected to the follower device 200 based on the received instruction. In this way, the surgical robot operates according to the actions of the surgeon and performs surgery on the patient. The surgery targets any part of the body (including, for example, the brain and nerves). Also, not limited to surgery, the remote operation system 1 is applicable to any medical procedure that invades the patient's body, such as a biopsy, an injection, and cancer treatment. The remote operation system 1 may also be applied to other fields such as telemedicine, remote surgery, remote robotic surgery, and robotic surgery, but the applicable uses of the remote operation system 1 are not limited to this. Also, the leader device 100 may transmit an instruction regarding any action performed by the user 140 to the follower device 200, not limited to the actions of the user 140.

[0040] In the example of FIG. 4, the leader device 100 includes a wireless access point (WLAN AP) 110, a HAV data processing unit 120, and a physical / virtual environment 130.

[0041] The physical / virtual environment 130 is a physical environment or a virtual environment for a leader in a tactile and haptic system. The physical / virtual environment 130 may be either a physical environment, a virtual environment, or both. The physical / virtual environment 130 provides a physical environment or a virtual environment for the user 140 for tactile and haptic purposes. The physical / virtual environment 130 acquires or generates physical data or virtual data in the physical environment or the virtual environment, and outputs the physical data or the virtual data.

[0042] For example, the physical / virtual environment 130 may acquire data detected by a sensor. The sensor is, for example, attached to the hand of the surgeon (user 140), and may acquire data on the movement of the surgeon's hand. The sensor may be included in the physical / virtual environment 130 or may be connected to the physical / virtual environment 130 via an interface. Note that the physical / virtual environment 130 is not limited to a sensor, and may acquire data related to touch and haptics from any other acquisition means. The physical / virtual environment 130 outputs the acquired or generated data to the HAV data processing unit 120.

[0043] Also, the physical / virtual environment 130 may output the HAV data received from the follower device 200 to an actuator. The actuator is attached to, for example, a surgical instrument or a device such as a joystick held by the surgeon, or a glove worn by the surgeon. The actuator may be included in the physical / virtual environment 130 or may be connected to the physical / virtual environment 130 via an interface. By operating the actuator according to the HAV data, sensations such as a tactile sensation and a force sensation are transmitted to the surgeon's hand. In this way, haptic data such as a tactile sensation and a force sensation generated on the robotic arm on the follower device 200 side as a result of the surgeon's surgery is fed back to the surgeon. That is, it can be said that the teleoperation system 1 is a system capable of performing bilateral control. Note that the physical / virtual environment 130 is not limited to an actuator, and may output data related to touch and haptics to any other transmission means.

[0044] The HAV data processing unit 120 generates HAV data based on the data acquired from the physical / virtual environment 130. The generated HAV data includes haptic data, audio data, and video data. For example, the HAV data processing unit 120 generates HAV data based on the data acquired by the physical / virtual environment 130 from sensors or the like. The HAV data processing unit 120 processes the data of the movement of the surgeon's hand from the sensor to generate HAV data. The HAV data may be data including haptic data and audio data or video data, or may be data including only haptic data without including audio data and video data. The audio data and the video data may be acquired from the physical / virtual environment 130 or from other devices. The audio data may be acquired from the physical / virtual environment 130 or an external microphone. The video data may be acquired from the physical / virtual environment 130 or an external camera.

[0045] The WLAN AP 110 is a wireless access point such as IEEE 802.11ah. The WLAN AP 110 is a wireless communication device that performs wireless communication with the follower device 200 (WLAN STA 210) via the wireless network 300. The WLAN AP 110 transmits, for example, the HAV data processed by the HAV data processing unit 120 to the follower device 200. Also, the WLAN AP 110 receives the HAV data transmitted from the follower device 200 and outputs the received HAV data to the physical / virtual environment 130.

[0046] Also, in the example of FIG. 4, the follower device 200 includes a wireless station (WLAN STA) 210, an HAV data processing unit 220, and a physical / virtual environment 230.

[0047] The physical / virtual environment 230 is a physical environment or a virtual environment for followers in a tactile and haptic system. The physical / virtual environment 230 may be either a physical environment, a virtual environment, or both. The physical / virtual environment 230 provides a physical environment or a virtual environment for the user 240 for tactile and haptic purposes. The physical / virtual environment 230 acquires or generates physical data or virtual data in the physical environment or the virtual environment, and outputs the physical data or the virtual data.

[0048] For example, the physical / virtual environment 230 may acquire data detected by a sensor. The sensor is attached to, for example, a robotic arm that performs surgery on a patient (user 240), and may acquire data such as the tactile sensation and the sense of force of the site where the robotic arm has made contact. The sensor may be included in the physical / virtual environment 230 or may be connected to the physical / virtual environment 230 via an interface. Note that the physical / virtual environment 230 is not limited to a sensor, and may acquire data related to touch and haptics from any other acquisition means. The physical / virtual environment 230 outputs the acquired or generated data to the HAV data processing unit 220.

[0049] Also, the physical / virtual environment 230 may output the HAV data received from the leader device 100 to an actuator. The actuator is attached to, for example, a robotic arm that performs surgery on a patient. The actuator may be included in the physical / virtual environment 230 or may be connected to the physical / virtual environment 230 via an interface. By operating according to the HAV data, the robotic arm performs a surgery according to the operation of the surgeon who is in a remote location. Note that the physical / virtual environment 230 is not limited to an actuator, and may output data related to touch and haptics to any other transmission means.

[0050] The HAV data processing unit 220 generates HAV data based on the data acquired from the physical / virtual environment 230. For example, the HAV data processing unit 220 generates HAV data based on the data acquired by the physical / virtual environment 230 from sensors or the like. The HAV data processing unit 220 processes data such as the tactile sensation and force sensation of the robotic arm from the sensors to generate HAV data. Also, the HAV data may be data including haptic data and audio data or video data, or may be data including only haptic data without including audio data and video data. The audio data and video data may be acquired from the physical / virtual environment 230 or from other devices. The audio data may be acquired from the physical / virtual environment 230 or an external microphone. The video data may be acquired from the physical / virtual environment 230 or an external camera.

[0051] The WLAN STA 210 is a wireless station (wireless client) such as IEEE 802.11ah. The WLAN STA 210 is a wireless communication device that performs wireless communication with the leader device 100 (WLAN AP 110) via the wireless network 300. The WLAN STA 210, for example, receives the HAV data transmitted from the leader device 100 and outputs the received HAV data to the physical / virtual environment 230. Also, the WLAN STA 210 transmits the HAV data processed by the HAV data processing unit 220 to the leader device 100.

[0052] The WLAN AP 110 of the leader device 100 and the WLAN STA 210 of the follower device 200 execute a duty cycle operation. For example, the duty cycle operation can be changed by changing the PHY and MAC software of the WLAN AP 110 and the WLAN STA 210. The WLAN AP 110 and the WLAN STA 210 execute the modified duty cycle according to the present embodiment. The modified duty cycle improves the efficiency when using a wireless network 300 with obstacles such as delays. The WLAN AP 110 and the WLAN STA 210 may execute a wireless duty cycle operation including not only the modified duty cycle operation but also the PHY and MAC operations of the related duty cycle.

[0053] FIG. 5 shows a configuration example of a wireless communication unit 400 according to some embodiments. The wireless communication unit 400 is included in the WLAN AP 110 and the WLAN STA 210. The wireless communication unit 400 may be included in either the WLAN AP 110 or the WLAN STA 210.

[0054] In the example of FIG. 5, the wireless communication unit 400 includes a duty cycle determination unit 410 and a wireless transceiver unit 420. Note that the configuration of FIG. 5 is an example, and other configurations may be used as long as the operation examples described later can be executed.

[0055] The duty cycle determination unit 410 determines the modified duty cycle operation according to the present embodiment. The duty cycle determination unit 410 determines, as the modified duty cycle operation, a transmission window for transmitting data and a pause time during which data is not transmitted in a duty cycle period. That is, the duty cycle determination unit 410 includes a transmission window determination unit that determines a transmission window and a pause time determination unit that determines a pause time. In this example, the duty cycle determination unit 410 performs a modulo operation and determines a transmission window including a plurality of transmission slots based on the result of the modulo operation. Further, the duty cycle determination unit 410 determines a pause time according to the transmission slots of the transmission window. The duty cycle determination unit 410 determines a pause time so as to ensure fairness with other wireless communication devices. It can also be said that the duty cycle determination unit 410 determines a pause time so as to satisfy the regulation requirements of the duty cycle (such as the transmission time being 10% of the upper limit of the duty cycle).

[0056] The wireless transceiver unit 420 is a transmission unit that transmits data via the wireless network 300 and a reception unit that receives data via the wireless network 300. The wireless transceiver unit 420 executes the determined modified duty cycle operation. The wireless transceiver unit 420 includes a transmission queue 421 for storing data to be transmitted. The transmission queue 421 stores, as transmission data, the HAV data generated by the HAV data processing unit 120 or 220. The wireless transceiver unit 420 transmits the data in the transmission queue 421 during the transmission window in the duty cycle period. The wireless transceiver unit 420 pauses the transmission operation during the pause time in the duty cycle period and does not transmit data.

[0057] FIG. 6 shows an operation example of the wireless communication unit 400 according to some embodiments. In the example of FIG. 6, the duty cycle determination unit 410 performs a modulo operation (S101).

[0058] FIG. 7 shows an example of modulo operation according to some embodiments. Table 501 in FIG. 7 includes sample time 502 indicating each time in the duty cycle period, output value (MOD) 503 of the modulo operation for each sample time, and transmission period 504 for transmission slot allocation.

[0059] In the example of FIG. 7, as shown by 502, a sequence from sample time [0] to

[11] is given. The duty cycle determination unit 410 performs a modulo n operation based on the input sample time. In this example, as the modulo n operation, an operation (modulo 4 + 1 (modulo operation that increments from 1 to 4)) is performed, and output values (MOD) 503 from 1 to 4 are provided. By the modulo n operation, the outputs from output value [1] to [4] are repeated in the order of sample time [0] to

[11] .

[0060] The sequence from output value [1] to [4] corresponds to the same transmission period 504. For example, each time the output values from [1] to [4] are repeated, the transmission period increases. In this example, a total of three transmission periods are shown together with the result of the modulo n operation. In this example, from sample time [0] to [3], the modulo n output values are from [1] to [4], and the transmission period is [1]. From sample time [4] to [7], the modulo n output values are from [1] to [4], and the transmission period is [2]. From sample time [8] to

[11] , the modulo n output values are from [1] to [4], and the transmission period is [3]. The result of the modulo n operation is used for the transmission slot (time slot) allocation of the modified duty cycle.

[0061] Next, the duty cycle determination unit 410 determines a transmission window (S102) and determines a pause time (S103). FIG. 8 shows an example of a duty cycle operation according to some embodiments. FIG. 8 includes an example of a related duty cycle operation 601 and a modified duty cycle operation 602 according to some embodiments. In FIG. 8, the sample time in the duty cycle period is indicated by 603. In FIG. 8, the duty cycle period starts from sample time [1] and ends at sample time

[19] . The duty cycle period is a period during which the duty cycle operation is completed and a period during which the duty cycle operation is repeated.

[0062] In the example of FIG. 8, the related duty cycle operation 601 is a general start / stop sequence that repeats the on / off of data transmission. In the related duty cycle operation 601, the transmission period is simplified as [1]. In the related duty cycle operation 601, the transmission window (transmission frame) of the transmission period [1] and the transmission stop (pause) are repeated. The transmission period [1] corresponds to one sample time (transmission slot). The transmission stop (pause) time between the transmission windows is the same period as the transmission period [1]. In the example of FIG. 8, the related duty cycle operation 601 includes 10 transmission frames (transmission windows) in the duty cycle period.

[0063] Also, in the example of FIG. 8, the modified duty cycle operation 602 includes a plurality of transmission windows of a transmission period of [1] or more. The transmission stop (pause) time between the transmission windows is the same period as the transmission period [1]. The modified duty cycle operation 602 starts from the transmission window W1 of the basic transmission period [1]. The duty cycle determination unit 410 determines the transmission slot at sample time [1] as the transmission window W1. The duty cycle determination unit 410 arranges a plurality of transmission windows of a transmission period of [1] or more (combining transmission slots) in the first period (the first period) on the start side of the duty cycle period. In this example, the first period is sample times [1]-

[13] , but it is not limited to this period. The first period is an arbitrary length period starting from the beginning of the duty cycle period.

[0064] The duty cycle determination unit 410 performs modulo-n operation to determine the period of each transmission window. In this example, the transmission period increases in the order of transmission windows W1 - W4 by the modulo-n operation. Specifically, according to the operation result of the modulo-n operation, the transmission period of the next transmission window W2 after the transmission window W1 increases by [2], the transmission period of the next transmission window W3 increases by [3], and finally the transmission period of the transmission window W4 increases by [4]. Therefore, the modified duty cycle operation increases the transmission opportunity.

[0065] In the example of FIG. 8, the duty cycle determination unit 410 determines the transmission periods of the transmission windows W2 - W4 by the modulo-n operation. Since the transmission window W1 is at the sampling time [1], the transmission window W2 starts from the sampling time [3]. When the modulo-n operation of FIG. 7 is executed, in the case of the sampling time [3], the output value of the modulo-n operation is [4] and the transmission period is [1]. Therefore, the duty cycle determination unit 410 adds the calculated transmission period [1] to the basic transmission period [1] to set the transmission period of the transmission window W2 to [2]. That is, the duty cycle determination unit 410 combines the transmission slots of the sampling times [3] - [4] to form the transmission window W2.

[0066] Next, since the transmission window W2 is at the sampling times [3] - [4], the transmission window W3 starts from the sampling time [6]. When the modulo-n operation of FIG. 7 is executed, in the case of the sampling time [6], the output value of the modulo-n operation is [3] and the transmission period is [2]. Therefore, the duty cycle determination unit 410 adds the calculated transmission period [2] to the basic transmission period [1] to set the transmission period of the transmission window W3 to [3]. That is, the duty cycle determination unit 410 combines the transmission slots of the sampling times [6] - [8] to form the transmission window W3.

[0067] Next, since the transmission window W3 is for sample times [6]-[8], the transmission window W4 starts at sample time

[10] . When performing the modulo n operation of FIG. 7, for the sample time

[10] , the output value of the modulo n operation is [3] and the transmission period is [3]. Therefore, the duty cycle determination unit 410 adds the calculated [3] to the basic transmission period [1] to set the transmission period of the transmission window W4 to [4]. That is, the duty cycle determination unit 410 combines the transmission slots of sample times

[10] -

[13] to form the transmission window W4.

[0068] When increasing the transmission period as in the transmission windows W1 - W4 of the modified duty cycle operation 602, packets are transmitted at timings when they should not be transmitted. That is, compared to the related duty cycle operation 601, packets are transmitted during the time when transmission should stop (pause). Therefore, the duty cycle determination unit 410 imposes penalties on the transmission slots of sample times [6],

[10] , and

[12] as shown at 604. For example, the transmission slots subject to penalties are the transmission slots added during the time when transmission should stop (pause) with respect to the related duty cycle operation 601. In the example of FIG. 8, in total, there are three transmission slots that need to be penalized in the modified duty cycle operation 602. The duty cycle determination unit 410 adds a pause time at the end of the duty cycle period as shown at 605 according to these three sample time transmission slots. This ensures the fairness of the overall duty cycle procedure within the duty cycle period. That is, the duty cycle determination unit 410 sets sample times

[15] ,

[17] , and

[19] as pause times after the transmission window W4. In the modified duty cycle operation 602, no data is transmitted during this pause time. That is, a pause time is arranged in the period on the end side (the second period) of the duty cycle period. In this example, the second period is sample times

[14] -

[19] , but it is not limited to this period. The second period is a period that comes after the first period and ends by the end of the duty cycle period with an arbitrary length.

[0069] Regarding the transmission slots of other sample times [4] and [8] added to the related duty cycle operation 601, since they do not affect the fairness of the duty cycle, no penalty is imposed. For sample times [4] and [8], even if data is transmitted, a period during which data is not transmitted is guaranteed, so no penalty is imposed. That is, since the overall transmission period (time windows W1 - W4) in the modified duty cycle operation 602 is equal to the transmission period (10 transmission windows) in the related duty cycle operation 601, there is no need to impose a penalty on sample times [4] and [8]. In other words, the duty cycle determination unit 410 imposes a penalty within the range necessary to ensure fairness and does not impose a penalty in other ranges. It can also be said that the duty cycle determination unit 410 imposes a penalty within the range necessary to meet the regulatory requirements and does not impose a penalty in other ranges.

[0070] Returning to FIG. 6, next, the wireless transceiver unit 420 transmits data (S104). The wireless transceiver unit 420 transmits the data in the transmission queue 421 according to the determined modified duty cycle operation. In the example of FIG. 8, the wireless transceiver unit 420 transmits data in the transmission windows W1 - W4 and pauses data transmission during the pause time 605 in the duty cycle period.

[0071] Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 9 is a graph showing the effects of the modified duty cycle operation according to some embodiments. Specifically, FIG. 9 shows the relationship between the traffic load and the number of slots in the modified duty cycle operation and the related duty cycle operation according to some embodiments. The number of slots corresponds to the sample time.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 8 above, the duty cycle period is set from sample time [1] to

[19] , and the total maximum traffic load is set to 100%. In the related duty cycle operation, 10 transmission slots can be allocated during this duty cycle period. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, in the related duty cycle operation, 10 transmission slots are used for data transmission during the duty cycle period, and 19 sample times are required to transmit 100% of the traffic load. That is, sample times [1] to

[19] as shown in FIG. 8 are required.

[0073] In contrast, in the modified duty cycle operation, as shown in FIG. 9, for the same 100% traffic load, only 13 sample times are required to complete data transmission, so the transmission time is shortened as a result. That is, sample times [1] to

[13] as shown in FIG. 8 are required. In the modified duty cycle operation, compared with the related duty cycle operation, the same amount of data traffic can be transmitted in a shorter period (fewer sample times), and fairness can be guaranteed.

[0074] FIG. 10 is a graph showing the effect of the modified duty cycle operation according to some embodiments. Specifically, FIG. 10 shows the relationship between the traffic load and the efficiency in the modified duty cycle operation according to some embodiments. The efficiency in FIG. 10 is the efficiency of the modified duty cycle operation relative to the related duty cycle operation. As shown in FIG. 10, in the modified duty cycle operation, when the traffic load is the same as that of the related duty cycle operation, transmission can be performed more efficiently in a shorter time. Specifically, at a medium traffic load (20%-40%), the efficiency is improved by up to 20%, and at a high traffic load (60%-100%), the efficiency is improved by up to 32%. Therefore, by the modified duty cycle operation, the transmission time can be shortened to 1 / 3 compared with the related duty cycle.

[0075] The overall efficiency improvement by the variable duty cycle operation is important for wireless transmission in license-free wireless systems such as IEEE 802.11ah and IEEE 802.11ax. Such wireless systems are ideal candidates for long-distance wireless transmission with low cost compared to other licensed wireless transmission systems such as 5G and 6G.

[0076] As described above, in the standard implementation of the WLAN duty cycle such as the related duty cycle operation, since the start and stop procedures are actively repeated, the unnecessary wireless connection is stopped. For example, if the system stops for about several milliseconds (ms), it has an adverse effect on the performance of the entire wireless system. In the related duty cycle operation, since no system parameter can be adapted, it continues to be a bottleneck of the wireless system.

[0077] On the contrary, this embodiment provides a flexible variable duty cycle operation that can be changed during operation while maintaining fairness to other neighboring WLAN clients. In the variable duty cycle operation in this embodiment, the static duty cycle operation is eliminated, a flexible duty cycle operation is enabled, and the transmission opportunity of the WLAN client is increased. By increasing the transmission opportunity, the overall throughput and real-time response of the wireless system are improved, which is beneficial for the remote operation system.

[0078] In the modified duty cycle operation according to this embodiment, at the start of the duty cycle period, by transmitting data more frequently, the transmission opportunity of the WLAN client is increased, and an additional pause time is added at the end of the duty cycle period. By adding the pause time, the fairness requirement in the wireless system is guaranteed, so the transmission probability of other surrounding WLAN clients does not decrease. By increasing the transmission probability at the start of the duty cycle period, the transmission probability of sensitive tactile and haptic data can be increased. Since there is no need to store data in the buffer for a certain period of time, sensitive data can be transmitted immediately with low latency. Therefore, the responsiveness of the wireless remote control system using license-free WLAN technologies such as IEEE 802.11ah and IEEE 802.11ax is improved.

[0079] In the modified duty cycle operation according to this embodiment, the duty cycle operation is changed so that the transmission slots are combined at the initial stage, and a pause time is set to maintain fairness like the duty cycle operation of the related standard. The modified duty cycle operation according to this embodiment guarantees compliance with regulatory requirements such as the duty cycle upper limit (e.g., 10%) in Japan and other regions, which can be programmed in the software of the PHY and MAC of the WLAN protocol.

[0080] Also, the modified duty cycle operation according to this embodiment makes it easier for surrounding WLAN clients to detect ongoing data transmission, thus reducing wireless collisions. As a result, the collision of wireless packets at the start of the LBT (listen-before-talk) operation is reduced.

[0081] According to this embodiment, the following system goals (A) and (B) can be achieved.

[0082] (A) Real-time performance In this embodiment, by enabling the variable duty cycle operation in the PHY and MAC of the WLAN system, the real-time performance of the wireless remote control system is improved by 30% or more. Even with a medium traffic load of haptic data, a 20% improvement in real-time performance can be achieved. It is very effective because high efficiency can be obtained not only for high traffic loads but also for medium traffic loads.

[0083] (B) System stability In this embodiment, by eliminating the positive start / stop duty cycle known in standard WLAN systems, such as the related duty cycle operation, the system stability is improved. The variable duty cycle operation according to this embodiment can improve the system stability by adopting a flexible approach that considers other parameters when transmitting data and provides a higher transmission probability.

[0084] The related duty cycle operation is an operation that periodically repeats transmission and pause during the duty cycle period. The sequence of transmission and pause in the related duty cycle operation is fixed and cannot be changed. In contrast, in the variable duty cycle operation of this embodiment, transmission slots are added by modulo n operation during the duty cycle period. The flexible allocation of transmission slots by modulo n operation increases the transmission opportunity of the WLAN client. In the related duty cycle operation, the number of slots remains constant at [1], [1], [1], [1] during the duty cycle period, while in the variable duty cycle operation according to this embodiment, transmission slots are added so that the number of slots becomes [1], [2], [3], [4] during the same duty cycle period. Therefore, the variable duty cycle operation according to this embodiment increases the transmission opportunity.

[0085] (Variant) A modification of Embodiment 1 will be described. FIG. 11 shows examples of transmission power in duty cycle operations according to several embodiments. FIG. 11(a) corresponds to the related duty cycle operation 601 in FIG. 8. FIG. 11(b) corresponds to the modified duty cycle operation 602 in FIG. 8 and is called the modified duty cycle operation type A. FIG. 11(c) is another example of the modified duty cycle operation and is called the modified duty cycle operation type B.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 11(a), the related duty cycle operation is provided by time slots (transmission slots) that are periodic and equally spaced data transmission opportunities. When data is provided on the transmission side, the data is transmitted in these time slots (transmission on = 100% transmission power). Also, the data transmission is interrupted by equally spaced pause times (transmission off = 0% transmission power) similar to the time slots.

[0087] As shown in FIG. 11(b), in the modified duty cycle operation type A, the duty cycle operation is enhanced by increasing the time slots (transmission slots) for data transmission over time, for example, by doubling the previous time slot (transmission on = 100%). Thus, when data for transmission is provided, longer time slots can be used for data transmission. Therefore, the transmission opportunity increases for the transmission side, and the transmission probability and transmission quality improve. Also, in order to comply with the regulatory duty cycle limit, a necessary pause time is given at the end of the transmission, so the amount of time slots used for data transmission remains the same as in the related duty cycle operation.

[0088] As shown in FIG. 11(c), in the modified duty cycle operation type B, contrary to the modified duty cycle operation type A, the time slots (transmission slots) for data transmission decrease as time elapses. For example, when the amount of transmission data in the transmission queue is large and the transmission priority is also high, it is beneficial to apply the reverse operation of initially providing a long time slot and shortening it as time elapses. This can suppress an increase in the delay due to the waiting time in the transmission queue and ensure that packets with a high priority are transmitted.

[0089] Note that in the case of the modified duty cycle operation type B in FIG. 11(c) as well, similar to the modified duty cycle operation type A, the transmission slot (transmission window) can be determined by modulo operation. FIG. 12 shows an example of modulo operation according to some embodiments. In Table 511 of FIG. 12, as shown by 512, a sequence from sample time [0] to

[11] is given. In this example, as the modulo n operation, an operation (modulo 4 - 1 (modulo operation that decrements from 4 to 1)) is performed to provide output values (MOD) 513 from 4 to 1. By the modulo n operation, the outputs from output value [4] to [1] are repeated in the order of sample time [0] to

[11] .

[0090] The sequence from output value [4] to [1] corresponds to the same transmission period 514. For example, each time the sequence from output value [4] to [1] is repeated, the transmission period decreases. In this example, from sample time [0] to [3], the output value of modulo n is from [4] to [1], and the transmission period is [3]. From sample time [4] to [7], the output value of modulo n is from [4] to [1], and the transmission period is [2]. From sample time [8] to

[11] , the output value of modulo n is from [4] to [1], and the transmission period is [1].

[0091] In the example of Fig. 11(c), when the modulo n operation of Fig. 12 is executed, for the case of the sample time [1], the output value of the modulo n operation is [3] and the transmission period is [3]. Therefore, adding the transmission period [3] obtained by the operation to the basic transmission period [1], the transmission period of the transmission window W1 is set to [4]. That is, the transmission slots from the sample time [1] to [4] are combined to form the transmission window W1.

[0092] Next, when the modulo n operation is executed, for the case of the sample time [6], the output value of the modulo n operation is [2] and the transmission period is [2]. Therefore, adding the transmission period [2] obtained by the operation to the basic transmission period [1], the transmission period of the transmission window W2 is set to [3]. That is, the transmission slots from the sample time [6] to [8] are combined to form the transmission window W2.

[0093] Next, when the modulo n operation is executed, for the case of the sample time

[10] , the output value of the modulo n operation is [2] and the transmission period is [1]. Therefore, adding the transmission period [1] obtained by the operation to the basic transmission period [1], the transmission period of the transmission window W3 is set to [2]. That is, the transmission slots from the sample time

[10] to

[11] are combined to form the transmission window W3. The last transmission window W4 is at the sample time

[13] and has the basic transmission period [1].

[0094] (Embodiment 2) Next, Embodiment 2 will be described. This embodiment is an example of selecting a duty cycle operation according to the traffic load. Note that this embodiment can be implemented in combination with Embodiment 1, and each configuration shown in Embodiment 1 may be appropriately used. The configuration of the remote operation system according to this embodiment is the same as that of Embodiment 1.

[0095] Fig. 13 shows a configuration example of the wireless communication unit 400 according to some embodiments. In the example of Fig. 13, in addition to the configuration of Fig. 5, the wireless communication unit 400 further includes a duty cycle selection unit 430.

[0096] The duty cycle selection unit 430 selects the duty cycle operation executed by the wireless transceiver unit 420. Specifically, the duty cycle selection unit 430 selects either a modified duty cycle operation or a related duty cycle operation. In other words, the duty cycle selection unit 430 determines when to execute the modified duty cycle operation. The duty cycle selection unit 430 selects one of the duty cycle operations according to the load of the traffic to be transmitted. For example, when the traffic load is higher than a predetermined level, the duty cycle selection unit 430 selects the modified duty cycle operation, and when the traffic load is lower than a predetermined level, the duty cycle selection unit 430 selects the related duty cycle operation. For example, the traffic load may be determined by the amount of data stored in the transmission queue 421 of the wireless transceiver unit 420.

[0097] FIG. 14 shows an operation example of the wireless communication unit 400 according to some embodiments. Specifically, FIG. 14 shows a duty cycle selection algorithm by the duty cycle selection unit 430.

[0098] In the example of FIG. 14, the duty cycle selection unit 430 determines whether the data in the transmission queue 421 is more than t (S201). That is, the duty cycle selection unit 430 determines whether the traffic (data traffic) load is medium or high. For example, the definitions of low, medium, and high traffic loads are based on a threshold t predetermined in the WLAN system, such as kbps or Mbps. The threshold t is a value for identifying the amount of data waiting for transmission in the transmission queue 421. Since the modified duty cycle operation exhibits excellent performance even at medium traffic loads, it is not necessary to distinguish between medium and high traffic loads. By not distinguishing between medium and high traffic loads, the overall design and stability of the system are improved. That is, unnecessary switching of the duty cycle operation can be avoided.

[0099] When the data in the transmission queue 421 is less than t, the duty cycle selection unit 430 selects a related duty cycle operation (S202). When the traffic load is low, since there may be no need to change the duty cycle operation, the duty cycle selection unit 430 selects a related duty cycle operation, and the wireless transceiver unit 420 executes the related duty cycle operation. For example, the wireless transceiver unit 420 performs data transmission with a related duty cycle operation 601 as shown in FIG. 8. That is, the wireless transceiver unit 420 repeats the on / off of data transmission at regular intervals during the duty cycle period.

[0100] Also, when the data in the transmission queue 421 is more than t, the duty cycle selection unit 430 selects a modified duty cycle operation (S203). When the traffic load is medium or high, since data can be transmitted more efficiently with the modified duty cycle operation, the modified duty cycle operation is selected, and the duty cycle determination unit 410 and the wireless transceiver unit 420 execute the modified duty cycle operation. For example, as shown in FIGS. 6-8, the duty cycle determination unit 410 determines a modified duty cycle operation, and the wireless transceiver unit 420 performs data transmission with the determined modified duty cycle operation. That is, the wireless transceiver unit 420 transmits data using a transmission window that combines transmission slots at the beginning of the duty cycle period, and pauses transmission during the idle time at the end of the duty cycle period.

[0101] In this embodiment, the duty cycle operation to be executed is selected according to the traffic load. For example, as time passes for transmission, when more data traffic is put into the transmission queue and is ready for transmission, the available transmission slots are combined by the modified duty cycle operation described in Embodiment 1. Thereby, a plurality of data or batches of data can be transmitted at high speed as necessary. In other cases, since the need to transmit data is low, the related standard duty cycle operation is executed.

[0102] With such a flexible approach, for example, when there is traffic in the transmission queue, a WLAN client can transmit data by changing the duty cycle operation. The changed duty cycle operation may be constantly implemented over a certain period of time according to various duty cycle methods. The changed duty cycle operation realizes a new transmission method and spectrum usage method as compared with the related duty cycle operation (simple on / off operation). Also, in low-density and medium-density WLAN networks, a more sophisticated duty cycle operation can be realized to enable immediate delivery of a large amount of data traffic.

[0103] For example, assume that the WLAN network is completely occupied or congested. In such a case, data traffic may increase. Note that this assumption may not apply to most scenarios (such as rural areas) because there is no need to compete for channel access like in urban areas. Since the transmission probability at the start of transmission is increased by the changed duty cycle operation, it is effective when data traffic is high. Therefore, like in this embodiment, WLAN clients with medium and high traffic loads can execute the changed duty cycle operation according to a flexible duty cycle approach, and when the transmission queue is empty, they can execute the related duty cycle.

[0104] (Other embodiments) The above embodiments can be fully implemented in license-free wireless systems such as IEEE 802.11ah and IEEE 802.11ax. Currently, there are other wireless systems in which standardization is underway, and they are targeted at automotive use cases and multimedia systems. This indicates that there is a need for high data rates and low latency. The above embodiments may provide the necessary changes in the duty cycle to provide the latency and throughput characteristics required in such systems.

[0105] In addition, the Internet of Things (IoT) and industrial wireless systems aim to improve reliability. In such systems, it is required to transmit data at a high data rate while suppressing data collisions. The above-described embodiment may be provided to meet the requirements of such a system. For example, in order to cope with a new use case scenario in which data is transmitted in real time with a high traffic load and a low packet loss, it is necessary to flexibly change the duty cycle operation as in the above-described embodiment.

[0106] In addition, there is a scenario where a WLAN system coexists with a cellular system such as 5G or 6G. That is, there are activities that utilize the unlicensed WLAN system and the frequency of the cellular system. In order to dynamically harmonize such systems, the duty cycle becomes important. By applying the above-described embodiment to such a system, it becomes possible to change the wireless system and its duty cycle operation.

[0107] The above-described embodiment may be applied to remote human-to-machine distance data transmission via a wide-area wireless network in an unlicensed frequency band such as Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Halo, Wi-Fi 6, etc. The above-described embodiment may be applied to a VR / MR system including HoloLense, Google Glass, Meta devices, etc., which requires short-distance communication at a high data rate and a short-time burst data rate for a multimedia system. The above-described embodiment may be a candidate for increasing the wireless transmission opportunity by changing the duty cycle in such a system.

[0108] The above embodiments may be applied to a wide-area wireless network in urban and rural areas, including meter reading of smart meters, communication from vehicles to homes, livestock farming, remote sensing systems, temperature / humidity measurement, danger warnings, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, wildfires, and other natural phenomena. The above embodiments may be applied to all WLAN protocols and related use cases such as automobiles, telemedicine, multimedia, long-distance communication networks, urban transportation systems, and smart cities.

[0109] Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments and can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist.

[0110] Each configuration in the above embodiments is constituted by hardware or software, or both, and may be constituted by one piece of hardware or software, or may be constituted by a plurality of pieces of hardware or software. Each device and each function (process) such as a leader device and a follower device may be realized by a computer 30 having a processor 31 such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory 32 which is a storage device as shown in FIG. 15. For example, a program for performing the method (wireless communication method) in the embodiment may be stored in the memory 32, and each function may be realized by the processor 31 executing the program stored in the memory 32.

[0111] These programs, when loaded into a computer, include a set of instructions (or software code) for causing the computer to perform one or more of the functions described in the embodiments. The program may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium or a tangible storage medium. By way of example and not limitation, the computer-readable medium or tangible storage medium includes random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, solid-state drive (SSD) or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray (registered trademark) disc or other optical disc storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices. The program may also be transmitted on a transient computer-readable medium or a communication medium. By way of example and not limitation, the transient computer-readable medium or communication medium includes electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals.

[0112] As described above, the present disclosure has been described with reference to the embodiments, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various changes that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present disclosure within the scope of the present disclosure. And each embodiment can be combined with other embodiments as appropriate.

[0113] Each drawing is merely an illustration for explaining one or more embodiments. Each drawing is not associated with only one specific embodiment, but may be associated with one or more other embodiments. As can be understood by those skilled in the art, various features or steps described with reference to any one drawing can be combined with the features or steps shown in one or more other drawings to create, for example, embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. Not all of the features or steps shown in any one drawing for explaining exemplary embodiments are necessarily essential, and some features or steps may be omitted. The order of the steps described in any drawing may be changed as appropriate.

[0114] Some or all of the above embodiments may be described as follows in the following supplementary notes, but are not limited thereto.

[0115] (Supplementary Note 1) Transmission window determination means for determining a transmission window combining a plurality of transmission slots during a duty cycle period; Rest time determination means for determining a rest time according to the determined transmission window during the duty cycle period; Transmission means for wirelessly transmitting data in the determined transmission window; A wireless communication device comprising: (Supplementary Note 2) The rest time determination means determines the rest time according to the regulation requirements of the duty cycle. The wireless communication device according to Supplementary Note 1. (Supplementary Note 3) The transmission window determination means determines the transmission window in a first period on the start side of the duty cycle period. The rest time determination means determines the rest time in a second period on the end side of the duty cycle period. The wireless communication device according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2. (Supplementary Note 4) The rest time determination means imposes a penalty on the combined transmission slots and determines the rest time according to the transmission slots on which the penalty is imposed. The wireless communication device according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2. (Supplementary Note 5) The transmission window determination means takes a sample time indicating time in the duty cycle period as an input and determines the transmission window based on the result of performing a modulo operation. The wireless communication device according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2. (Supplementary Note 6) Comprising a transmission queue for storing the data to be transmitted. The transmission window determination means and the pause time determination means determine the transmission window and the pause time when a predetermined amount or more of the data is stored in the transmission queue. The wireless communication device according to Appendix 1 or 2. (Appendix 7) The data is HAV data including any one of haptic data, audio data, and video data. The wireless communication device according to Appendix 1 or 2. (Appendix 8) Transmission window determination means for determining a transmission window combining a plurality of transmission slots during a duty cycle period; Pause time determination means for determining a pause time according to the determined transmission window during the duty cycle period; Transmission means for wirelessly transmitting data in the determined transmission window; A wireless communication system comprising: (Appendix 9) During a duty cycle period, determine a transmission window combining a plurality of transmission slots, During the duty cycle period, determine a pause time according to the determined transmission window, Wirelessly transmit data in the determined transmission window, A wireless communication method. (Appendix 10) During a duty cycle period, determine a transmission window combining a plurality of transmission slots, During the duty cycle period, determine a pause time according to the determined transmission window, Wirelessly transmit data in the determined transmission window, A program for causing a computer to execute the process.

[0116] Some or all of the elements (e.g., configurations and functions) described in Appendices 2 to 7 that are subordinate to the wireless communication device of Appendix 1 may also be subordinate to the wireless communication system of Appendix 8, the wireless communication method of Appendix 9, and the program of Appendix 10 in the same subordinate relationship as in Appendices 2 to 7. Some or all of the elements described in any appendix may be applicable to various hardware, software, recording means for recording software, systems, and methods.

Explanation of Signs

[0117] 1 Remote operation system 10 Wireless communication device 11 Transmission window determination unit 12 Dormant time determination unit 13 Transmission unit 20 Wireless communication system 30 Computer 31 Processor 32 Memory 100 Leader device 110 WLAN AP 120 HAV data processing unit 130 Physical / virtual environment 140 User 200 Follower device 210 WLAN STA 220 HAV data processing unit 230 Physical / virtual environment 240 User 300 Wireless network 400 Wireless communication unit 410 Duty cycle determination unit 420 Wireless transceiver 421 Transmission queue 430 Duty cycle selection unit

Claims

1. Transmission window determination means for determining a transmission window combining a plurality of transmission slots during a duty cycle period; Rest time determination means for determining a rest time according to the determined transmission window during the duty cycle period; Transmission means for wirelessly transmitting data in the determined transmission window; A wireless communication device comprising:

2. The rest time determination means determines the rest time according to the regulation requirements of the duty cycle. The wireless communication device according to claim 1.

3. The transmission window determination means determines the transmission window in a first period on the start side of the duty cycle period. The rest time determination means determines the rest time in a second period on the end side of the duty cycle period. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The rest time determination means imposes a penalty on the combined transmission slots and determines the rest time according to the transmission slots on which the penalty is imposed. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The transmission window determination means uses the sample time indicating the time in the duty cycle period as an input and determines the transmission window based on the result of performing a modulo operation. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. It comprises a transmission queue for storing the data to be transmitted. When a predetermined amount or more of the data is stored in the transmission queue, the transmission window determination means and the rest time determination means determine the transmission window and the rest time. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The data is HAV data including any one of haptic data, audio data, and video data. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 or 2.

8. Transmission window determination means for determining a transmission window combining a plurality of transmission slots during a duty cycle period; Rest time determination means for determining a rest time according to the determined transmission window during the duty cycle period; Transmission means for wirelessly transmitting data in the determined transmission window; A wireless communication system comprising:

9. During a duty cycle period, determine a transmission window combining a plurality of transmission slots, During the duty cycle period, determine a rest time according to the determined transmission window, Wirelessly transmit data in the determined transmission window. A wireless communication method.

10. During a duty cycle period, determine a transmission window combining a plurality of transmission slots, During the duty cycle period, determine a rest time according to the determined transmission window, Wirelessly transmit data in the determined transmission window. A program for causing a computer to execute the process.

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