Communication system, communication method, and communication server device
The communication system addresses high costs in wireless LAN systems by uploading raw signals to a cloud server for flexible signal processing, enabling cost-effective deployment and expansion of new communication methods.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2022032086
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-03-02
- Publication Date
- 2025-07-01
- Estimated Expiration
- 2042-03-02
AI Technical Summary
Existing wireless LAN systems face high costs for service deployment and function expansion when adopting new sensing algorithms and communication methods due to the need for repurchasing and reinstalling demodulators.
A communication system where raw signals are uploaded to a cloud server for signal processing, allowing the addition of new signal processing methods and selecting appropriate demodulators based on user-specified requests, reducing the need for on-site hardware upgrades.
This approach reduces the costs of service deployment and function expansion by enabling easy adaptation to new communication methods without requiring additional hardware, leveraging web applications and reducing development costs.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a communication system, a communication method, and a communication server device, and particularly relates to a communication system, a communication method, and a communication server device suitable for use in an environment where various service deployments and function expansions are assumed.
Background Art
[0002] Non-Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for situation recognition by wireless sensing. Wireless sensing is a technique for sensing information in the physical space using radio waves such as wireless LAN (Local Area Network).
[0003] Also, Non-Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for backscatter (hereinafter referred to as "BS") communication. In BS communication, instead of emitting radio waves by itself, radio waves such as wireless LAN are reflected or absorbed by an antenna. Thereby, modulation is applied to turn the radio waves ON or OFF to control data transmission.
[0004] Wireless sensing and BS communication are new technologies even in IoT (Internet of Things), which is expected as a next-generation information and communication technology. Thus, various utilization methods of radio waves that have never existed before have emerged.
Prior Art Documents
Non-Patent Documents
[0005]
Non-Patent Document 1
[0006] With the emergence of new ways of using radio waves, the opportunities to adopt new sensing algorithms and communication methods are increasing. However, when adopting new sensing algorithms and communication methods, there has been a problem that it is costly to handle them with existing wireless LAN access points.
[0007] In order to solve the above problems, a first object of the present disclosure is to provide a communication system capable of reducing the cost of service deployment and function expansion.
[0008] Also, in order to solve the above problems, a second object of the present disclosure is to provide a communication method capable of reducing the cost of service deployment and function expansion.
[0009] Also, in order to solve the above problems, a third object of the present disclosure is to provide a communication server device capable of reducing the cost of service deployment and function expansion.
Means for Solving the Problem
[0010] The first aspect of the present disclosure is a communication system including a wireless LAN access point, a cloud server, Demodulate the signal received from the cloud server and a demodulator, wherein the wireless LAN access point is uploads the received signal without processing raw signal as it is to the cloud server configured to be and the cloud server is selects a signal processing method accept the addition of a new signal processing method and prepare a new demodulator corresponding to the signal processing method, accept request information including the user-specified signal processing method, and based on the request information, the user-specified for the raw signal and, from the multiple demodulators prepared for each signal processing method, select the demodulator corresponding to the user-specified signal processing method, and cause the selected demodulator to and perform the processing is preferably a communication system. is configured to execute
[0011] The second aspect of the present disclosure is The wireless LAN access point to upload the received signal without processing raw signal as it is to the cloud server matter and The cloud server accepts the addition of a new signal processing method, accepts request information including the user-specified signal processing method and prepares a new demodulator corresponding to the signal processing method, and based on the request information, the user-specified select a signal processing method matter and from the multiple demodulators prepared for each signal processing method, select the demodulator corresponding to the user-specified signal processing method, and the selected demodulator is preferably a communication method including performs the processing processing the raw signal
[0012] The third aspect of the present disclosure is a communication server device including a request analysis unit and a data control unit, wherein the request analysis unit accept the addition of a new signal processing method, accept request information including the user-specified signal processing method, and based on the request information, the user-specified selects a signal processing method matter and selection and transmits the selected signal processing method to the data control unit matter and is configured to execute the data control unit The selected records the raw signal and, from the multiple demodulators prepared for each signal processing method, select the demodulator corresponding to the user-specified signal processing method uploaded based on the signal processing method is and outputs the raw signal matter to the demodulator The selected and matter is preferably a communication server device. is configured to execute
Advantages of the Invention
[0013] According to the first to third aspects of the present disclosure, the costs of service deployment and function expansion can be reduced.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0014]
Figure 1
Figure 2
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Figure 6
Modes for Carrying Out the Invention
[0015] Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional wireless sensing system. Wireless sensing is a technology for sensing information in the physical space using radio waves such as those of a wireless LAN. Examples of information that can be sensed include human position information, respiration rate, and heart rate.
[0016] The processing flow when sensing changes in the human body state using wireless sensing will be described. First, the wireless LAN terminal 2 transmits a training signal 3. The training signal 3 is an arbitrary wireless signal. Part of the training signal 3 directly reaches the wireless LAN access point 4, and part reaches the sensing target 5.
[0017] The sensing target 5 has a sensing device. When the sensing device receives the training signal 3, it transmits a signal 6 containing environmental information. The environmental information mentioned here means information regarding the state change of the sensing target 5 that can be sensed by the sensing device. When the signal 6 containing environmental information reaches the wireless LAN access point 4, it is transmitted to the demodulator 8 together with the training signal 3. The demodulator 8 demodulates the training signal 3 and the signal 6 containing environmental information to obtain the environmental information.
[0018] Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional BS communication system. In BS communication, instead of emitting radio waves by itself, it reflects or absorbs radio waves such as those of a wireless LAN with an antenna. Then, modulation is applied to turn the radio waves ON or OFF to control data transmission. Since a transceiver circuit is not required in BS communication, data can be transmitted with power consumption of several tens of micro-Watts, enabling power saving.
[0019] The processing flow when sensing the human body condition using BS communication will be described. First, the wireless LAN terminal 2 transmits the training signal 3. A part of the training signal 3 directly reaches the wireless LAN access point 4, and a part reaches the BS tag 9.
[0020] The BS tag obtains driving power from the received training signal 3 to switch whether the antenna reflects or absorbs radio waves. Then, modulation is applied to turn the radio waves ON or OFF to control data transmission. That is, when it is desired to transmit a signal containing environmental information from the BS tag, the BS conversion signal 10 obtained by reflecting and modulating the training signal 3 is used.
[0021] When the BS conversion signal 10 reaches the wireless LAN access point 4, it is transmitted to the BS demodulator 12 together with the training signal 3. The BS demodulator 12 demodulates the training signal 3 and the BS conversion signal 10 to obtain the environmental information.
[0022] As in the above example, the methods of using radio waves in information and communication technologies are diverse, and new sensing algorithms and communication methods are emerging one after another with the progress of technology. Therefore, there may be situations where it is desired to perform information and communication using such new methods by using an already installed wireless LAN access point. However, in the current system, since it is necessary to repurchase and reinstall a demodulator or the like corresponding to the new method, there is a problem of high cost. The present disclosure solves this problem.
[0023] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a wireless communication system according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. The wireless communication system of Embodiment 1 is different from the prior art in that the raw signal is uploaded to the cloud server once and then signal processing is executed.
[0024] The detailed processing flow will be described. First, the wireless LAN terminal 2 transmits a training signal 3. The training signal 3 is an arbitrary wireless signal. A part of the training signal 3 directly reaches the wireless LAN access point 4, and a part reaches the sensing target 5. The sensing target 5 has a sensing device. When the sensing device receives the training signal 3, it transmits a signal 6 including environmental information. So far, it is the same as the prior art.
[0025] The wireless LAN access point 4 uploads the received raw signal 11 to the cloud server 14 via the communication network 15. In the communication network 15, for example, RoF (Radio over Fiber) technology can be used for efficient transmission. Note that the header information of the wireless signal may be analyzed and uploaded to the cloud server 14 only when there is no error.
[0026] When the cloud server 14 receives the raw signal 11, it selects a signal processing method based on a pre-specified setting. This pre-specified setting may be configured when the cloud server is shipped, or it may be set by the user through external input. Then, based on the signal processing method, an appropriate demodulator 16 is determined, and the raw signal 11 is transmitted. Note that new signal processing methods can also be added in the form of plugins. Examples of plugins include wireless sensing for extracting physical information and demodulation of BS communication. Then, the selected demodulator 16 demodulates the received signal.
[0027] As an effect of Embodiment 1, it is possible to reduce the costs of service deployment and function expansion. In this aspect, to support a new communication method and expand functions, all that is required is to add a signal processing method to the cloud server. Therefore, it is easy to adapt even after deploying a wireless LAN access point. Also, since development is carried out as a web application instead of using an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or an embedded system, the development costs themselves can be kept low.
[0028] FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a cloud server according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. The cloud server 14 includes a request analysis unit 20. The request analysis unit 20 analyzes request information input by a user operation. The request information includes the signal processing method specified by the user. Therefore, the request analysis unit 20 analyzes this and selects a signal processing method, then transmits it to the data control unit 18.
[0029] The data control unit 18 determines a demodulator 16 to be used for demodulation based on the signal processing method transmitted from the request analysis unit 20. The data control unit 18 also records the raw signal 11 uploaded from the wireless LAN access point 4. Then, the raw signal 11 is output as a demodulation signal 21. This demodulation signal 21 is transmitted to the demodulator 16 determined by the data control unit 18. Thereafter, by demodulating the demodulation signal 21 by the demodulator 16, signal processing in the communication method specified by the user is achieved.
[0030] Note that the functions of the server device related to the cloud server 14 of the present disclosure can also be realized by a computer and a program. This program can be recorded on a recording medium or provided through a network.
[0031] Embodiment 2 FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a wireless communication system according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. Embodiment 2 is different from Embodiment 1 in that a BS signal 22 is used instead of the training signal 3.
[0032] The detailed processing flow will be described. First, the wireless LAN terminal 2 transmits a BS signal 22. The BS signal 22 is, for example, a signal combining a BS signal 50 which is a radar signal, an identification signal 52, and a wireless LAN preamble signal 54. A part of the BS signal 22 directly reaches the wireless LAN access point 4, and a part reaches the sensing target 5. The sensing target 5 has a BS tag, and when the BS tag receives the BS signal 22, it transmits a signal 6 including environmental information.
[0033] The wireless LAN access point 4 uploads the received signal to the cloud server 14 via the communication network 15. Here, the signal to be uploaded is limited to the case where it is a BS signal. Whether it is a BS signal or not is determined from header information such as the wireless LAN preamble signal 54. When the cloud server 14 receives the raw signal 11, it selects a signal processing method based on a pre-specified condition. Then, based on the signal processing method, an appropriate demodulator 16 is determined, and the raw signal 11 is transmitted. The selected demodulator 16 demodulates the received signal.
[0034] As an effect of Embodiment 2, since only specific signals that require processing are uploaded, the loads on the cloud server 14 and the communication network 15 can be reduced. The wireless LAN access point 4 selects only the BS signal from the received signals based on header information such as the wireless LAN preamble signal 54. Then, by uploading only the selected signals, signals that do not require processing can be excluded, and thus the above-described load reduction can be realized.
[0035] Embodiment 3 FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a wireless communication system according to Embodiment 3 of the present disclosure. Embodiment 3 is a form assuming multi-user support by a plurality of wireless LAN terminals. It is different from Embodiment 1 in that a plurality of wireless LAN access points are handled by a common cloud server.
[0036] The detailed processing flow will be described. First, the wireless LAN terminal 2 transmits a training signal 3. The training signal 3 is an arbitrary wireless signal and reaches the wireless LAN access point 4. Note that one or a plurality of wireless LAN terminals 2 are associated with one wireless LAN access point 4.
[0037] The wireless LAN access point 4 uploads a received signal 24 with an identifier added to the training signal 3 to the cloud server 14 via the Internet 26. This identifier is registered in advance in the cloud server to identify a plurality of wireless LAN access points 4 existing in one communication system. The identifier method may be a client-side identifier method or a server-side identifier method.
[0038] When the cloud server 14 receives the received signal 24, it selects candidates for the signal processing method based on a pre-specified condition. Although not shown, the cloud server 14 of Embodiment 3 has received from each user in advance the signal processing method to be performed on the signal associated with the identifier. The cloud server 14 creates a combination table of the identifier and the signal processing method by using this information. Then, candidates for the signal processing method are selected from the combination table.
[0039] The cloud server 14 transmits the selected candidate signal processing methods and the created combination table, together with the received signal 24, to the identifier determiner 28. The identifier determiner 28 first determines, using the identifier, which wireless LAN access point 4 the received signal is from. Then, based on the combination table, it determines an appropriate signal processing method. Subsequently, based on the signal processing method, it selects a demodulator 16 capable of performing appropriate demodulation processing. Then, it transmits the received signal 24 to the selected demodulator 16. The selected demodulator 16 demodulates the received signal.
[0040] As an effect of Embodiment 3, since a plurality of users can be handled by a common cloud server, the deployment cost can be suppressed. Even if the cloud server is common, by using the identifier as described above, each user can select the signal processing to be performed on their own terminal.
[0041] Embodiment 4 Regarding the configuration of the apparatus, Embodiment 4 is the same as Embodiment 3. However, it is different in that the wireless LAN access point 4 selects the information to upload to the cloud server 14. Examples of the information to be selected include the difference information from the previous time.
[0042] The upload from the wireless LAN access point 4 to the cloud server 14 is assumed to be performed periodically. Therefore, before the upload, the wireless LAN access point 4 compares the raw signal received this time with the raw signal received last time and obtains the difference information. Then, at the time of upload, this difference information is selected together with the original training signal or radar signal.
[0043] As an effect of the fourth embodiment, in addition to the point that the deployment cost can be suppressed, there is a point that the data amount can be reduced. When information is periodically uploaded, the amount of change in the signal received by the wireless LAN access point 4 is proportional to the amount of change in the state of the information source. For example, if the change in the state sensed by the sensing device is minute, the amount of change in the signal received by the wireless LAN access point 4 also becomes minute. Therefore, by uploading not all of the raw signals as in the third embodiment but only the difference information from the previous time corresponding to this amount of change, reduction of the data amount can be realized.
Explanation of Signs
[0044] 8 Demodulator 11 Raw signal 14 Cloud server 16 Demodulator 18 Data control unit 20 Request analysis unit 28 Identifier determiner
Claims
1. A communication system comprising a wireless LAN access point, a cloud server, and a demodulator for demodulating a signal received from the cloud server, wherein the wireless LAN access point is configured to upload the received signal to the cloud server as a raw signal without processing the received signal, the cloud server is configured to accept addition of a new signal processing method and prepare a new demodulator corresponding to the signal processing method, accept request information including a user-specified signal processing method, select a user-specified signal processing method based on the request information, select a demodulator corresponding to the user-specified signal processing method from a plurality of demodulators prepared for each signal processing method, cause the selected demodulator to process the raw signal, and is configured to execute a communication system.
2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the cloud server can newly accept the new signal processing method in a plug-in format.
3. The wireless LAN access point is further configured to add an identifier registered in advance in the cloud server for identifying the wireless LAN access point to the received signal before the upload, and the selection of the signal processing method is performed based on a combination table of the identifier and the user-specified signal processing method included in the request information. The communication system according to claim 1 or 2.
4. The raw signal includes difference information of a plurality of signals received periodically. The communication system according to claim 3.
5. A wireless LAN access point uploads a raw signal to a cloud server without processing the received signal, and the cloud server accepts addition of a new signal processing method, accepts request information including a user-specified signal processing method and prepares a new demodulator corresponding to the signal processing method, selects a user-specified signal processing method based on the request information, selects a demodulator corresponding to the user-specified signal processing method from a plurality of demodulators prepared for each signal processing method, and the selected demodulator processes the raw signal. A communication method comprising the above.
6. A communication server device comprising a request analysis unit and a data control unit, wherein the request analysis unit is configured to accept addition of a new signal processing method, Receiving request information including a user-specified signal processing method; Selecting a user-specified signal processing method based on the request information; Transmitting the selected signal processing method to a data control unit; configured to execute; The data control unit: selecting, based on the selected signal processing method, a demodulator corresponding to the user-specified signal processing method from a plurality of demodulators prepared for each signal processing method; recording the uploaded raw signal; outputting the raw signal to the selected demodulator; configured to execute; A communication server device.
7. A program for causing a computer to execute the functions of the communication server device according to Claim 6