Wireless access point, slave unit thereof, and wireless access system

Abstract

To provide a wireless access point with increased freedom of operation.SOLUTION: According to an embodiment, a slave unit is capable of performing wireless communication with a master unit connected to a network and includes an electric motor coupled to a driving wheel, a motor driver that controls the electric motor, and a power supply unit that supplies power to the electric motor. The slave unit also includes first and second wireless interfaces, a wireless relay unit, a light receiving unit, and a processor. The first wireless interface communicates with the master unit via a first wireless channel. The second wireless interface accommodates a wireless terminal via a second wireless channel. The wireless relay unit relays communication between the wireless terminal and the network via the first and second wireless channels. The light receiving unit receives signal light including a control command and outputs a received signal. The processor extracts the control command from the received signal and controls the motor driver based on the control command to move the own device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a wireless access point, a slave unit thereof, and a wireless access system. [Background technology]

[0002] Wireless networks can be used by users moving around as long as they are within the area where the radio waves can reach. Also, because there is no need for communication cables for clients, it is possible to reduce the number of switches, hubs, and LAN cables within the area. Wireless networks have an advantage over wired networks in that they allow users to use the space freely for various tasks.

[0003] A wireless access point (AP) is a key device for creating a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) environment in the home or office. In a wired network, you need to prepare as many hub ports as there are clients, but in a wireless network, the number of clients does not matter as long as it is within the specifications of the AP. This advantage makes it useful for providing network services in places where people move around while working, such as manufacturing sites, events, and workshops.

[0004] However, because APs must be connected to switches and power sources, their locations are fixed. This means that the coverage area of ​​the wireless network is limited by factors such as the range of the AP's radio waves and the influence of obstacles between the AP and the client. This also restricts the user's work area and the number of clients.

[0005] Mesh networks are one technology that alleviates these constraints and enables the expansion of wireless network coverage areas. Mesh networks wirelessly connect multiple APs in a mesh-like pattern, and achieve coverage expansion and communication path redundancy by autonomously routing between APs. APs that make up a mesh network consist of a parent device and a child device, with the parent device acting as the controller. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3576931 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 4422089 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-267815 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Mesh networks allow for flexible operation, such as expanding the coverage area by adding child APs, or maintaining communication by routing through another AP if one AP fails. However, there are limits to the expansion of the coverage area, as communication speed decreases as the number of APs increases. Also, although communication between APs is wireless, a vital power supply is required, so AP locations are fixed, and it is considered difficult to make major changes to the network configuration once it has been designed.

[0008] Therefore, an object is to provide a wireless access point, its slave unit, and a wireless access system that have increased operational flexibility. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to an embodiment, a wireless access point includes a parent device connected to a network and a child device capable of wireless communication with the parent device. The child device is capable of wireless communication with the parent device connected to the network and includes an electric motor coupled to a driving wheel, a motor driver for controlling the electric motor, and a power supply unit for supplying power to the electric motor. The child device also includes a first wireless interface, a second wireless interface, a wireless relay unit, a light receiving unit, and a processor. The first wireless interface communicates with the parent device via a first wireless channel. The second wireless interface accommodates a wireless terminal via the second wireless channel. The wireless relay unit relays communication between the wireless terminal and the network via the first wireless channel and the second wireless channel. The light receiving unit receives signal light including a control command and outputs a received signal. The processor extracts the control command from the received signal and controls the motor driver based on the control command to move the child device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a slave unit of an access point according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the slave device 10. As shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a wireless access system according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a slave unit of an access point according to an embodiment. The slave unit 10 can be accommodated via a wireless channel in a master unit (described later) connected to a communication network such as the Internet or a LAN (Local Area Network). The slave unit 10 is equipped with wheels 15 that can rotate forward and backward and a drive unit 12, and can be freely moved by remote control using an infrared remote control. Power for the drive unit 12 to drive the wheels 15 is supplied from a power supply unit 13.

[0012] The power supply unit 13 is a secondary battery that can be charged by space power supply using, for example, electromagnetic induction. For example, a charging station can be provided within the system, and a slave unit 10 with a low battery can be moved to the charging station by remote control and charged.

[0013] The slave unit 10 has a light receiving unit 14 on its exterior. The light receiving unit 14 receives an infrared signal light from an infrared remote control and converts it into a received signal. This received signal is input to a signal processing unit 11 connected to a driving unit 12, which extracts a control command. The signal processing unit 11 inputs an instruction given by the control command (for example, go forward, change direction, turn left, turn right, etc.) to the driving unit 12. The driving unit 12 moves the wheels 15 in accordance with the instruction, thereby moving the position of the slave unit 10 itself.

[0014] The signal processing unit 11 is connected to antennas A1 and A2, which communicate using different wireless channels. The wireless channels used by the antennas A1 and A2 may be fixed or may be dynamically changed depending on the radio wave environment. In short, it is sufficient if interference can be prevented between the antennas A1 and A2. Furthermore, the channel selection method can be, for example, time division multiplexing / frequency division multiplexing, or other multiplexing methods.

[0015] 2 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the slave device 10. The slave device 10 includes a signal processing unit 11 connected to antennas A1 and A2, an electric motor 17 that drives the wheels, and a motor driver 16 that controls the motor 17.

[0016] The signal processing unit 11 includes a ROM 1, a RAM 2, a storage 3, a processor 4, communication interfaces (I / F) 51 and 52, a wireless relay unit 8, and an input / output interface 6. These are interconnected via an internal bus .

[0017] Of these, ROM 1 and storage 3 are non-volatile storage devices that store programs and data. RAM 2 is used as a working memory for processor 4. The communication interface 51 is connected to the antenna A1 and communicates with the master unit via a first wireless channel. The communication interface 52 is connected to the antenna A2 and communicates with the wireless terminal via a second wireless channel. As described above, the first wireless channel and the second wireless channel are dynamically or statically set to prevent interference with each other. The wireless terminal may be, for example, a laptop computer or a smartphone equipped with a wireless LAN function.

[0018] The wireless relay unit 8 relays communication between the wireless terminal and the network to which the master unit is connected via the first wireless channel and the second wireless channel. The light receiving unit 14 and the driving unit 12 are connected to the internal bus 7 via the input / output interface 6. A received signal from the light receiving unit 14 is passed to the processor 4 via the internal bus 7.

[0019] The processor 4 extracts the control command encoded in the received signal and controls the motor driver 16 of the drive unit 12 based on the control command. The motor driver 16 controls the motor 17 connected to the wheels 15 to move the location of the slave device 10. If a command meaning "power off" is encoded, the processor 4 turns off the power of the slave device 10 that is the command destination and disables its movement function and wireless relay function. If a command meaning "power on" is encoded, the processor 4 turns on the power of the slave device 10 that is the command destination and activates its movement and wireless relay function. That is, according to this embodiment, the power on / off and movement of the slave device 10 can be controlled by the remote control.

[0020] 3 is a diagram showing an example of a wireless access system according to an embodiment. The wireless access system according to the embodiment can be installed in a relatively large building 100, such as a large conference room, an event hall, a banquet hall, or a shopping mall. In the embodiment, a mesh network is constructed by linking a plurality of slave devices 10 with a master device (AP master device) 20 that accommodates them. A pair of one slave device 10 and one master device 20 forms one wireless access point (AP).

[0021] The master unit 20 is provided with an antenna 21 and communicates with the multiple slave units 10 via a first wireless channel. Of course, the first wireless channel is set for each slave unit 10 so as to prevent interference. The master unit 20 is powered by a PoE (Power of Ethernet (registered trademark)) switch 30. The wireless terminal 80 is connected to a router 40. The router 40 is connected to the Internet 200 via a UTM (Unified Threat Management) 70, which allows the wireless terminal 80 to access the Internet 200 via a wireless access point (AP). The status of the wireless access points (APs) including the multiple slave devices 10 and the master device 20 is monitored one by one by a wireless LAN controller (WLC) 50 and displayed on a GUI (Graphical User Interface) of a management terminal 60.

[0022] Here, the slave units 10 can be freely moved by operating the infrared remote control 90. The user operates the infrared remote control 90 while monitoring the radio wave environment detected by the WLC 50 on the management terminal 60, and moves each slave unit 10 individually to create an optimal wireless communication environment. In order to avoid interference between the infrared remote controls 90, for example, the control command and the ID (identifier) ​​of the destination slave unit 10 can be linked together to encode the infrared light, and the slave unit 10 can determine the destination of the control command.

[0023] As described above, in the embodiment, the slave unit 10 of the wireless access point is provided with wheels so that it can be moved by remote control. By moving the slave unit 10, the configuration of the mesh network can be changed more flexibly and each time according to the usage scenario. By allowing the AP to be moved freely and by installing a storage battery (secondary battery) in the slave unit 10, there is no need to keep a power supply cable connected at all times.

[0024] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, it is possible to provide a wireless network that flexibly adapts to the scale and format of an event, such as an event or workshop, where people are actively moving around and multiple information devices are used. Even if there is a change in the movement of people or an increase or decrease in the number of information devices during the event, it is possible to quickly respond to changes by moving APs to follow the people or increasing the number of active access points (by turning on standby access points). Conversely, if the number of wireless terminals is reduced, resources including power can be saved by turning off an appropriate number of slave units 10.

[0025] For example, it will be possible to operate equipment efficiently in facilities where utilization rates fluctuate depending on the season, day of the week, time of day, etc. For example, it is expected that accommodation facilities in tourist areas will see an increase in users on weekends and holidays. In this case, by utilizing the power ON / OFF function and driving function of the handset 10, the number of operating handset 10 can be reduced during normal times and charging can be done in shifts, and when the number of guests increases, all handset 10 can be turned on and placed in various locations by remote control, which is expected to have an effect of saving energy.

[0026] Alternatively, in a stadium or the like, it is possible to increase the number of operating access points on game days (special days). In a large space such as a baseball stadium, it is possible to use the access points by driving the slave units 10 to areas with a large number of spectators on that day and placing them in a prioritized manner.

[0027] Furthermore, even if there are insufficient access points, the slave unit 10 of the embodiment can be moved around and users can take turns using the network. This is particularly useful in emergencies such as disasters, when setting up a response headquarters or evacuation shelter with limited resources.

[0028] That is, according to the embodiment, by operating the power ON / OFF with the remote control, it is possible to operate only the required number of access points according to the usage scenario. Also, by moving the slave unit 10 with the remote control and changing its location, it is possible to, for example, move the slave unit 10 closer to the client (wireless terminal) to improve radio wave reception, or to flexibly deal with changes in the room layout for an event, etc.

[0029] From these points, according to the embodiment, it is possible to provide a wireless access point, its slave unit, and a wireless access system with increased operational flexibility.

[0030] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, instead of the PoE (Power over Ethernet (registered trademark)) switch 30 in Fig. 3, an L2 switch or the like that does not have a power supply function may be used without any problems.

[0031] Furthermore, the means for moving the handset 10 is not limited to the wheels 15. For example, the handset 10 may be suspended from a rail installed on the ceiling, and the frictional force generated between the rail and the rubber ring causes the handset 10 to move by rotating the rubber ring. Alternatively, a form such as an endless track may be used. In other words, instead of the wheels 15 that contact the floor surface and move on the floor by frictional force, a rotating wheel that drives an endless track that contacts the floor surface may be used. Furthermore, a wheel that can move in all directions, such as an omniwheel, may also be used.

[0032] Although an embodiment has been described, this embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This novel embodiment can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. This embodiment and its modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1...ROM, 2...RAM, 3...storage, 4...processor, 6...input / output interface, 7...internal bus, 8...wireless relay unit, 10...sub-unit, 11...signal processing unit, 12...drive unit, 13...power supply unit, 14...light receiving unit, 15...wheel, 16...motor driver, 17...motor, 20...parent unit, 21...antenna, 30...switch, 40...router, 50...wireless LAN controller, 51, 52...communication interface, 60...management terminal, 80...wireless terminal, 90...infrared remote control, 100...building, 200...Internet, A1, A2...antenna.

Claims

1. The system includes a parent device connected to a network and a child device capable of wireless communication with the parent device, The slave unit is an electric motor coupled to the driving wheels; a motor driver for controlling the electric motor; a power supply unit that supplies power to the electric motor; a first wireless interface for communicating with the master unit via a first wireless channel; a second wireless interface accommodating a wireless terminal via a second wireless channel; a wireless relay unit that relays communication between the wireless terminal and the network via the first wireless channel and the second wireless channel; a light receiving unit that receives a signal light including a control command and outputs a received signal; a processor that extracts the control command from the received signal and controls the motor driver based on the control command to move the location of the wireless access point.

2. The wireless access point according to claim 1 , wherein the electric motor is controlled to be turned on / off by the extracted control command.

3. The wireless access point according to claim 1 , wherein the driving wheels are wheels that come into contact with a floor surface and move on the floor by friction.

4. The wireless access point according to claim 1 , wherein the driving wheel is a rotating wheel that drives a caterpillar that contacts a floor surface.

5. The wireless access point according to claim 1 , wherein the driving wheels move the slave unit suspended from a rail along the rail by friction with the rail.

6. In a slave device capable of wireless communication with a master device connected to a network, an electric motor coupled to the driving wheels; a motor driver for controlling the electric motor; a power supply unit that supplies power to the electric motor; a first wireless interface for communicating with the master unit via a first wireless channel; a second wireless interface accommodating a wireless terminal via a second wireless channel; a wireless relay unit that relays communication between the wireless terminal and the network via the first wireless channel and the second wireless channel; a light receiving unit that receives a signal light including a control command and outputs a received signal; a processor that extracts the control command from the received signal and controls the motor driver based on the control command to move the location of the slave unit.

7. a wireless access point including a master device connected to a network and a slave device capable of wireless communication with the master device; A charging station is provided. The slave unit is an electric motor coupled to the driving wheels; a motor driver for controlling the electric motor; a secondary battery that is charged at the charging station and supplies power to the electric motor; a first wireless interface for communicating with the master unit via a first wireless channel; a second wireless interface accommodating a wireless terminal via a second wireless channel; a wireless relay unit that relays communication between the wireless terminal and the network via the first wireless channel and the second wireless channel; a light receiving unit that receives a signal light including a control command and outputs a received signal; a processor that extracts the control command from the received signal and controls the motor driver based on the control command to move the location of the device.

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