Communication control device and communication control method

Abstract

To provide a communication control device capable of suppressing degradation of application availability.SOLUTION: In a network that includes: a first network of edge terminals where a first application runs; a second network of a server terminal where a second application runs; and multiple gateway devices each forming different communication paths via the first and second networks, the communication control device includes: a communication channel quality monitoring unit that monitors quality information of each of the communication channels of multiple; and a communication path selection unit that selects a communication path that meets communication quality requirements for the first application and the second application on the basis of, the quality information of the communication channel.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a communication control device and a communication control method. [Background technology]

[0002] In the railway field, train control and remote vehicle operation involve communications between trains and ground stations (control towers), and applications are used between trains and vehicles, such as train control and voice communication with drivers. Because these applications require low-latency, real-time communications, for example, in a multi-access edge computing (MEC) system, if wireless communication terminals using the server move or the number of users increases, the network path length between the terminal and the MEC server becomes longer if communications are always routed via the same user plane function (UPF). As a result, the communication requirements (throughput, latency, packet loss rate) of applications using wireless communication terminals cannot be met, and in particular, failure to meet latency requirements can result in degradation of communication quality and reduced application availability, potentially significantly impacting trains in operation.

[0003] To address this issue, it is necessary to switch UPFs within the same MNO (Mobile Network Operator), which is the communications system (communications carrier), or to use UPFs between different MNOs, and it is necessary to select the optimal UPF depending on the situation.As such, since carrier communications networks are not specifically optimized for the quality of train data and apps, it is necessary to always ensure the required communications quality.

[0004] As background art in this technical field, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in a network system having multiple gateway devices provided between a network to which an edge-side application node is connected and a network to which a server-side application node is connected, in which a gateway device to be used by an application is selected based on metric values indicating the status of the multiple gateway devices in order to avoid a deterioration in communication quality of the application. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-58011 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In Patent Document 1, the gateway selection criteria are based solely on a metric value indicating the status of the gateway device, which is fully feasible for load balancing purposes. However, when this selection criteria is used, for example, congestion or a failure in a communication device other than the gateway device may result in a gateway device being selected as the route that does not satisfy the communication requirements of the application communicating through the gateway device. In this case, it is necessary to measure whether quality is ensured over the entire route and switch the route. In other words, even if the status of the gateway device is good, the bottom may be congested and communication to the end may be impossible, making it difficult to accommodate the application in a communication system in a manner that satisfies the communication requirements.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a communication control device that can suppress deterioration in application availability when the communication quality between application nodes deteriorates. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to the present inventionThe communication control device is used in a network system having a first network to which an edge terminal running a first application is connected, a second network to which a server terminal running a second application is connected and which is an access destination of the edge terminal, and a plurality of gateway devices which respectively form different communication paths via the first network and the second network. , and selects the communication path that satisfies the communication quality requirements set for each application. A communication control device, an application database storing application information regarding the communication quality requirements of each application; a communication path quality monitoring unit that monitors quality information of each of the plurality of communication paths formed by the plurality of gateway devices; said application information and said Based on the quality information, The aforementioned Meets communication quality requirements Su The path of faith , per application a communication path selection unit for selecting the application information includes information on a required throughput performance, a required maximum delay, and a required packet loss rate for each of the applications, and the quality information includes information on a provideable throughput performance, a delay time, and a packet loss rate for each of the communication paths, and the communication path selection unit selects, for each of the applications, one or more communication paths whose provideable throughput performance is equal to or greater than the required throughput performance of the application, whose delay time is equal to or less than the required maximum delay of the application, and whose packet loss rate is equal to or less than the required packet loss rate of the application, as communication paths that satisfy the communication quality requirements, and when a plurality of communication paths that satisfy the communication quality requirements are selected, the communication path selection unit determines the communication path with the smallest packet loss rate among the plurality of communication paths as the communication path for transmitting packets of the application. . A communication control method according to the present invention is a method for controlling communication paths that satisfy communication quality requirements of a plurality of applications using a computer in a communication platform of a network system, the computer having an arithmetic unit that executes predetermined arithmetic processing and a storage device accessible by the arithmetic unit, the storage device having an application database that stores application information related to the communication quality requirements of each application, the arithmetic unit collecting and managing quality information for each of a plurality of communication paths formed by different gateway devices, and selecting, for each application, a communication path that satisfies the communication quality requirements from among the plurality of communication paths based on the application information and the quality information, the application information being stored in a storage device accessible by the application. The quality information includes information on a required throughput performance, a required maximum delay, and a required packet loss rate for each application, and the quality information includes information on a provideable throughput performance, a delay time, and a packet loss rate for each communication path. The arithmetic unit selects, for each application, one or more communication paths whose provideable throughput performance is equal to or greater than the required throughput performance of the application, whose delay time is equal to or less than the required maximum delay of the application, and whose packet loss rate is equal to or less than the required packet loss rate of the application, as communication paths that satisfy the communication quality requirements. When multiple communication paths that satisfy the communication quality requirements are selected, the arithmetic unit determines, from among the multiple communication paths, the communication path with the smallest packet loss rate as the communication path for transmitting packets of the application. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a communication control device that can suppress deterioration in the availability of applications. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication platform according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication control device of a communication platform according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a communication platform according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure for determining a communication path for transmitting application data between communication platforms according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5]1 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for selecting, for one application, a communication path that satisfies the communication requirements of the application in a communication platform according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a communication path list for downstream and upstream communication, including communication quality information for each communication path passing through different gateway devices, in a communication platform according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an application list including communication requirements for downstream and upstream communications in a communication platform according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a list of communication paths used by each application list, which shows the relationship between applications and communication paths used for downlink and uplink communication in a wireless communication platform according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a communication control device of a communication platform according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a communication path list for downstream and upstream communication, which includes communication quality information for each communication path that passes through different gateway devices when there are networks of multiple MNOs. FIG. [Figure 11] 10 is an application communication requirement setting screen. [Figure 12] 10 is a communication path setting display screen.

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following description and drawings are examples for explaining the present invention, and some omissions and simplifications have been made as appropriate for clarity of explanation. The present invention can be implemented in various other forms. Unless otherwise specified, each component may be singular or plural.

[0012] In order to facilitate understanding of the invention, the position, size, shape, range, etc. of each component shown in the drawings may not represent the actual position, size, shape, range, etc. Therefore, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the position, size, shape, range, etc. disclosed in the drawings.

[0013] (First embodiment of the present invention and overall configuration) (Figure 1) The communication control device 103 is connected to the server-side communication platform 102 and the edge-side communication platform 112, and thereby functions as a control device for communication between the server terminal 101 and the edge terminal 113, which will be described later. A network system 111 provided by a mobile network operator (MNO) is used between the communication platforms 102 and 112. This network system 111 is a network system provided by a single mobile network operator.

[0014] The network system 111 is formed with a wireless access network 107, which is a first network to which an edge terminal 113, which is an edge-side application terminal on which a first application runs, is connected, and a core network 106, which is a second network to which a server terminal 101, which is a server-side application terminal on which a second application runs and is accessed by the edge terminal 113, is connected.

[0015] A plurality of communication paths are formed between a wireless access network 107, which is a first network, and a core network 106, which is a second network. In a network system 111, a wireless terminal 110 connected to an edge terminal 113 is provided between the wireless access network 107 and a communication platform 102. The wireless terminal 110 is connected to the wireless access network 107 via wireless base stations 108 and 109 provided in the network system 111. As an example of a communication path, the diagram illustrates that a communication path is formed between the wireless base station 108 and the wireless terminal 110, out of the wireless base stations 108 and 109.

[0016] The network system 111 forms different communication paths via a first network 107 and a second network 106, respectively, and has a first gateway device 104 and a second gateway device 105, which are UPFs. The communication platforms 102 and 112 use the communication paths via the gateway device 104 and the gateway device 105 as destinations for application packets. The communication control device 103 generates and manages settings for determining which of the multiple communication paths via the gateway devices 104 and 105 a packet should be sent to.

[0017] 1 shows only two gateway devices 104 and 105, two radio base stations 108 and 109, one core network 106, and one radio access network 107 for convenience of explanation and illustration, but in reality the numbers are not limited to these. Also, for convenience of illustration, the gateway devices 104 and 105 are shown as being provided between the communication platform 102 and the core network 106 in the network system 111, but they may be provided at a position between the core network 106 and the radio access network 107.

[0018] (Figure 2) The following describes the configuration of the communication platforms 102, 112 and the communication control device 103 described in Fig. 1. The communication platforms 102, 112 include a communication path monitoring unit 207 that monitors communication paths within the network system 111, and a route selecting unit 208 that selects a communication path.

[0019] The communication control device 103 has a communication path quality monitoring unit 205 that monitors quality information of each of a plurality of communication paths formed by a plurality of gateway devices 104, 105 in the network system 111, via a communication path monitoring unit 207 provided in the communication platforms 102, 112. The communication path quality monitoring unit 205 stores information about the communication paths being monitored (communication path ID, communication section, gateway devices via which the communication paths are passed, wireless systems, communication quality, etc.) in the communication path DB 202 via the communication path monitoring unit 207. In this way, the communication path quality monitoring unit 205 stores the quality information of the communication paths in association with information about the gateway devices 104, 105 that form the communication paths. The quality of the communication path refers to information such as the amount of throughput that can be achieved, the amount of delay that occurs, and the amount of packet loss that occurs.

[0020] The communication control device 103 includes an application DB 201. In order to determine the gateway device 104 or 105 that configures a communication path that satisfies the communication requirements of the application and use it as the communication path, the communication control device 103 acquires information (communication section, communication protocol, communication requirements, etc.) about the application that uses the communication platforms 102 and 112 and stores it in the application DB 201.

[0021] The communication control device 103 includes a communication control setting DB 204. The communication control setting DB 204 functions as an application information management unit that holds information on communication paths used as packet destinations for each application.

[0022] The communication control device 103 includes a communication path selection unit 203. The communication path selection unit 203 selects, from among a plurality of communication paths, a communication path that satisfies communication quality requirements for the first application and the second application, via a route selection unit 208 included in the communication platforms 102 and 112, based on quality information of the communication path including at least one of a communication section, throughput performance, delay performance, and packet loss performance.

[0023] The communication path selection unit 203 determines a communication path to be used as a destination when communicating packets of an application between the communication platforms 102 and 112, based on information in the application DB 201, information in the communication path DB 202, and information in the communication control setting DB 204. Specifically, the communication control device 103 acquires a communication path that can be used in the communication path of the application and satisfies the communication requirements of the application from among the communication paths whose information is stored in the communication path DB 202, based on the communication path and communication requirements (required bandwidth, maximum allowable delay, packet loss rate) of the application, thereby determining the communication path to be used for transmitting packets of the application. Details will be described later with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8.

[0024] Although not shown, the communication platforms 102 and 112 are equipped with a transfer processing unit that transfers application packets based on the setting information of the communication path to be used for each application determined by the communication path selection unit 203 of the communication control device 103, thereby transmitting received packets from the application terminals 101 and 113 to the specified communication path.

[0025] (Figure 3) The communication control device 103 is configured by a computer having a processor (CPU: Central Processing Unit) 301, a memory 302, an auxiliary storage device 304, and a communication interface 305. The communication control device 103 has an input interface 303 and an output interface 306.

[0026] The processor 301 is an arithmetic device that executes programs stored in the memory 302. The processor 301 executes various programs to realize the functions of each unit (e.g., the communication path selection unit 203, the communication path quality monitoring unit 205, etc.) of the communication control device 103. Note that some of the processing performed by the processor 301 by executing the programs may be executed by another arithmetic device (e.g., hardware such as an ASIC or FPGA).

[0027] The memory 302 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory), which is a nonvolatile storage element, and a RAM (Random Access Memory), which is a volatile storage element. The ROM stores unchanging programs (e.g., a Basic Input Output System (BIOS)). The RAM is a high-speed, volatile storage element such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), and temporarily stores programs executed by the processor 301 and data used when the programs are executed.

[0028] The auxiliary storage device 304 is a large-capacity, non-volatile storage device such as a magnetic storage device (HDD: Hard Disk Drive) or a flash memory (SSD: Solid State Drive). The auxiliary storage device 304 also stores data (e.g., application DB 201, communication path DB 202, communication control setting DB 204, etc.) used by the processor 301 when executing a program, and the program executed by the processor 301. That is, the program is read from the auxiliary storage device 304, loaded into the memory 302, and executed by the processor 301 to realize each function of the communication control device 103.

[0029] The communication interface 305 is a network interface device that controls communication with other devices according to a predetermined protocol.

[0030] The input interface 303 is an interface to which input devices such as a keyboard 307 and a mouse 308 are connected and which receives input from an operator. The output interface 306 is an interface to which output devices such as a display device 309 and a printer (not shown) are connected and which outputs the results of program execution in a format that can be viewed by an operator. Note that a user terminal connected to the communication control device 103 via a network may provide the input device and the output device. In this case, the communication control device 103 may have a web server function, and the user terminal may access the communication control device 103 using a predetermined protocol.

[0031] The programs executed by the processor 301 are provided to the communication control device 103 via removable media (CD-ROM, flash memory, etc.) or a network, and are stored in a non-volatile auxiliary storage device 304, which is a non-transitory storage medium. For this reason, the communication control device 103 should preferably have an interface for reading data from removable media.

[0032] The communication control device 103 is a computer system configured on one physical computer or on multiple logically or physically configured computers, and may operate on a virtual computer constructed on multiple physical computer resources. For example, the communication path selection unit 203 and the communication path quality monitoring unit 205 may each operate on separate physical or logical computers, or multiple units may be combined to operate on a single physical or logical computer.

[0033] As with the hardware configuration described above, the present invention is a communication control method for controlling communication paths that satisfy communication quality requirements of multiple applications using the computer 103 in the communication platform of the network system 111.

[0034] The computer 103 has an arithmetic unit 301 that executes predetermined arithmetic processing, and a storage device 302 that can be accessed by the arithmetic unit 301. The arithmetic unit 301 collects and manages quality information for each of a plurality of communication paths formed by different gateway devices 104 and 105, and selects one of the plurality of communication paths based on the communication quality requirements for a plurality of applications and the quality information of the communication paths.

[0035] The storage device 302 stores, for each communication path, information on the identifier of the communication path and information on the gateway devices 104 and 105 that form the communication path, in association with each other. The storage device 302 also stores, for each communication path, information on the identifier of the communication path, in association with each other. By using such a communication control method, it is possible to suppress deterioration in application availability.

[0036] (Figure 4) This section describes the procedure for the communication control device 103 to determine a communication path for transmitting application packets between the communication platforms 102 and 112. In step S401, the process starts to determine a communication path for transmitting application data between the communication platforms 102 and 112 based on the communication requirements of the application and communication quality information of the communication path.

[0037] In step S402, application information (communication section, communication protocol, communication requirements) is obtained from the application DB 201 for each application that communicates between the server terminal 101 and the edge terminal 113. In step S403, information on the communication section is obtained from the application information obtained in step S402 in order to obtain usable communication path candidates. In step S404, information on the communication path currently being used by the application is obtained from the communication control setting DB 204.

[0038] In step S405, it is determined whether or not the setting of the communication path (working communication path) currently being used by the application acquired in step S404 exists. If it exists, the process proceeds to step S406, and if not, the process proceeds to step S407.

[0039] In step S406, it is determined whether the current communication path of the application for which a setting was found in step S405 satisfies the communication requirements of the application, based on the information in the application DB 201 and the communication path DB 202. If the communication quality of the current communication path satisfies the communication requirements of the application, the flow ends in step S413; otherwise, the flow proceeds to step S407.

[0040] In step S407, a procedure is executed to determine a communication path for transmitting packets of the application after acquiring candidates for the communication path that meets the communication requirements of the application from among the different communication paths of the gateway devices 104 and 105. The procedure for determining the communication path will be described later with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0041] In step S408, it is determined whether or not a candidate communication path for transmitting packets of the application exists among the candidate communication paths determined in step S407. If a candidate exists and a communication path is determined, the process proceeds to step S409 to update the information on the current communication path. If no communication path that satisfies the communication requirements of the application exists, the process proceeds to step S410.

[0042] In step S409, the communication control settings held in the communication control setting DB 204 are updated with the information on the new current communication path determined in step S407.

[0043] In step S410, it is determined that the application cannot be accommodated in the communication platforms 102 and 112, and the communication control settings held in the communication control setting DB 204 are updated.

[0044] In step S411, based on the information on the communication path determined in step S407, communication control settings for transmitting application packets between the communication platforms 102 and 112 are generated and stored in the communication control setting DB 204. In step S412, based on the information on the communication path determined in step S407 and taking into account the bandwidth required by the application, the remaining available bandwidth is calculated and reflected in the communication path information in the communication path DB 202, and the flow ends in step S413.

[0045] In this way, in the processing procedure for determining a communication path for transmitting application data between the communication platforms 102, 112, a communication path that satisfies the communication requirements of the application is obtained based on the communication section and communication requirements of the application and information on different communication paths of the transit gateway devices 104, 105 that can be used for each communication section, and the communication path to be used by the application is determined based on the communication control policy of the application. This makes it possible to manage communication paths for each transit gateway device 104, 105 when a communication system having multiple gateway devices 104, 105, such as a large-scale cellular network, is used in the communication platforms 102, 112 shown in this embodiment.

[0046] (Figure 5) Referring to FIG. 4, the flow of the process of selecting communication path candidates in step S407 will be described.

[0047] In step S501, a list of communication paths available for use in the communication section where the application communicates is obtained based on the communication path information stored in the communication path information of the communication path DB 202. At this point, communication paths that do not satisfy the communication requirements of the application are also included. In step S502, the communication quality of each communication path available for use in the communication section of the application obtained in step S501 is obtained.

[0048] In step S503, from among the communication paths available in the communication section of the application acquired in step S501, a communication path having an available bandwidth greater than or equal to the required bandwidth of the application acquired from the communication control setting DB 204 is selected and acquired as communication path list (A).

[0049] In step S504, for each communication path in the communication path list (A) acquired in step S503, a communication path having a maximum one-way delay time less than the maximum one-way delay requested by the application acquired from the communication control setting DB 204 is selected and acquired as communication path list (B).

[0050] In step S505, for each communication path in the communication path list (B) acquired in step S504, a communication path having a packet loss rate equal to or lower than the packet loss rate required by the application acquired from the application DB 201 is selected and acquired as communication path list (C).

[0051] In step S506, it is determined whether one or more communication paths are included in the communication path list (C) acquired in step S505. If so, the process proceeds to step S507. If not, the process proceeds to step S510.

[0052] In step S507, the communication paths included in the communication path list (C) acquired in step S505 are sorted in ascending order of packet loss rate.

[0053] In step S508, the communication path with the smallest packet loss rate among the communication paths included in the communication path list (C) sorted in ascending order by packet loss rate in step S507 is determined as the communication path for transmitting packets of the application.

[0054] In step S509, information about the communication path for transmitting packets of the application determined in step S508 is recorded, along with information that the application can be accommodated in the communication section to be processed.

[0055] In step S510, if the communication path list (C) acquired in step S505 is empty, i.e., if it does not contain any communication paths, it is determined that there is no communication path that meets the communication requirements of the application in the communication section being processed, and an accommodating determination is made.

[0056] In step S511, the process of determining a communication path that satisfies the communication requirements of the application when the communication path determination policy of the application prioritizes communication quality is completed.

[0057] In this way, it is possible to select a communication path that passes through gateway device 104 or 105 that constitutes a path that satisfies the communication requirements of the application from candidate communication paths that are usable for each communication section and that pass through different gateway devices 104 and 105 between server terminal 101 and edge terminal 113, and then select a communication path for transmitting packets of the application. Furthermore, by managing information about gateway device 104 or 105 that is passed through in a list of communication paths usable for each communication section, it is possible to manage communication paths on a gateway device basis even when multiple gateway devices 104 and 105 exist, and it is possible to always use a communication path that passes through gateway device 104 or 105 that constitutes a path that satisfies the communication requirements of the application. This makes it possible to reduce the impact of deterioration in communication quality between application terminals 101 and 113.

[0058] (Figure 6) 6A and 6B show examples of lists of communication path information including communication path quality information for each communication path, in which FIG. 6A shows a list of communication paths for downstream communication 601 and FIG. 6B shows a list of communication paths for upstream communication 701.

[0059] The downstream communication path list 601 is configured to determine whether a communication path satisfies the communication requirements of an application as a candidate for a communication path that accommodates downstream communication among application communications, and includes the following information: a communication path ID, a communication section (source PF, destination PF), a gateway device to be passed through, a maximum provided bandwidth, a usable bandwidth, a maximum one-way delay time, and a packet loss rate. Associating information about the gateway devices 104 and 105 to be passed through for each communication path in this manner makes it possible to select a communication path by switching an appropriate route for each gateway device, even in a network 111 having multiple gateway devices 104 and 105, such as a cellular network operated by a single MNO. The information managed in the upstream communication path list 701 is the same as that in the downstream communication path list 601.

[0060] (Figure 7) 7A and 7B show examples of application lists accommodated in a communication platform, in which Fig. 7A shows an application list 801 for downstream communication, and Fig. 7B shows an application list 901 including communication requirements for upstream communication.

[0061] The application lists 801 and 901 manage information about the communication section (source node, source port, destination node, destination port), communication protocol, and communication requirements (required throughput, required maximum one-way delay, required packet loss rate) of the application. In particular, in the processing procedure for determining the communication path to be used for each application shown in Fig. 5, the lists 801 and 901 shown in Fig. 7 are necessary information when selecting a communication path including a gateway device that constitutes a route that satisfies the communication requirements of the application. Specifically, these lists are used when determining in steps S503 to S505 in Fig. 5 whether the available bandwidth, maximum one-way delay time, and packet loss rate of the communication path stored in the communication path DB 202 satisfy the required bandwidth, required delay time, and required packet loss rate as the communication requirements of the application stored in the application lists 801 and 901, respectively, and acquiring the communication path list (C).

[0062] (Figure 8) 8(a) is a list of communication paths used by application lists 1001 showing the relationship between applications and communication paths used for downstream communication, and Fig. 8(b) is a list of communication paths used by application lists 1101 showing the relationship between applications and communication paths used for upstream communication. The information managed in the list of communication paths used by application lists 1101 is the same as the list of communication paths used by application lists 1001 for downstream communication.

[0063] In the above explanation, the communication platforms 102 and 112 are exemplified as being capable of selecting a communication path to use from multiple different communication paths via the gateway devices 104 and 105 based on communication quality information of each communication path, but the present invention can be applied to various communication platforms and communication systems, whether wired or wireless. Among them, the present invention is suitable for use cases that use a large-scale network covering a vast geographical area, such as where multiple gateway devices exist between application nodes, such as communication platforms and communication systems for control and monitoring applications of moving objects (automobiles, trains, aircraft, etc.) on roads, railways, air routes, etc.

[0064] As a result, even when using a network 111 in which a plurality of gateway devices 104, 105 exist, by taking into consideration not only the states of the gateway devices 104, 105 but also communication quality information of the entire communication path, communication control can be performed to select a communication path including the gateway device 104 or 105 that constitutes a route that satisfies the communication requirements of the application, thereby suppressing deterioration of the availability of the application.

[0065] Furthermore, when switching between the gateway devices 104 and 105 used to access the server, the communication control device 103 verifies the communication path quality status of the route via the gateway device 104 or 105 after switching, and then controls the switching of the gateway device 104 or 105 that is actually used, thereby preventing communication between the wireless communication terminal and the server from being interrupted.

[0066] (Second embodiment) (Figure 9) As a second embodiment, a case will be described in which the present invention can be applied to a case in which a plurality of networks 111 operated by different entities exist in the communication between the server terminal 101 and the edge terminal 113. In the second embodiment, in addition to the network 111 operated by the first mobile communications carrier, a network 1206 handled between the communication platforms 102 and 112 is provided as a network of a second mobile communications carrier. Like the network 111, the network 1206 has a gateway device 1201 between it and the network to which the server terminal 101 is connected.

[0067] (Figure 10) Fig. 10(a) shows a downstream communication path list 1301 including communication quality information for each path in a communication platform corresponding to a plurality of networks 111, 1206 operated by different entities, and Fig. 10(b) shows an upstream communication path list 1401 including communication quality information for each path in a communication platform corresponding to a plurality of networks 111, 1206 operated by different entities. Fig. 10(a) and Fig. 10(b) differ from Fig. 6(a) and Fig. 6(b) in that information about the network operator is added to lists 1301 and 1401.

[0068] The communication path lists 1301, 1401 for downstream and upstream communication when handling multiple networks 111, 1206 operated by different entities are composed of information necessary to determine whether a communication path that satisfies the communication requirements of an application is a candidate for a communication path to accommodate downstream communication among the application communications (in this embodiment, communication path ID, network operator, communication section, gateway device to be passed through, maximum provided bandwidth, usable bandwidth, maximum one-way delay time, packet loss rate).

[0069] 10, even when there are multiple networks 111, 1206 operated by different entities, the communication control device 103 (communication path quality monitoring unit 205) associates and stores information about the network operator that manages the network system 111 as information about the communication paths managed in the communication path DB 202. Therefore, even when a communication platform uses multiple networks 111, 1206 operated by multiple different entities as communication paths for an application in an environment where different network operators are used and gateway devices are mixed, it is possible to select a communication path that includes a gateway device that constitutes an optimal route that satisfies the communication requirements of the application.

[0070] (Figures 11 and 12) 11 shows an application communication requirement setting screen 1501, which is a setting screen (UPF selection status screen) of the communication control device 103 displayed on the display device 309. Also, FIG. 12 shows a communication path setting display screen 1601 displayed on the display device 309.

[0071] An application communication requirement setting screen 1501 displays an application-specific communication requirement list 801 used for downstream communication and an application-specific communication requirement list 901 used for upstream communication. A communication path setting display screen 1601 displays a communication path list 601 used for downstream communication, a communication path list 701 used for upstream communication, a communication path list 1001 used for downstream communication, and a communication path list 1101 used for upstream communication. This allows a user who manages communication control to grasp the status of the currently selected communication path and the relationship between the communication path to be used and the application.

[0072] The present invention makes it possible to accommodate mission-critical applications with low latency requirements, such as train control and obstacle detection, on a communications platform. It can also be used for any mobile object that requires remote control. It can also be applied to railways, automobiles, air mobility (for transporting cargo), and other applications. It is also suitable for applications that are used under strict requirements for communications systems, such as control.

[0073] According to the first and second embodiments of the present invention described above, the following advantageous effects are achieved.

[0074] (1) In a network system 111 having a first network 107 connected to an edge terminal 113 running a first application, a second network 106 accessed by the edge terminal 113 and connected to a server terminal 101 running a second application, and a plurality of gateway devices 104 and 105 that form different communication paths via the first network 107 and the second network 106, the communication control device 103 includes: a communication path quality monitoring unit 205 that monitors quality information of each of the plurality of communication paths formed by the plurality of gateway devices 104 and 105; and a communication path selection unit 203 that selects, from the plurality of communication paths, a communication path that satisfies communication quality requirements for the first application and the second application based on the quality information of the communication path. In this way, a communication control device 103 that can suppress deterioration of application availability can be provided.

[0075] (2) The communication path quality monitoring unit 205 stores the quality information of the communication path in association with information on the gateway devices 104 and 105 that form the communication path. In this way, when selecting a communication path, it is possible to select a communication path that satisfies the communication quality requirements for the first application and the second application.

[0076] (3) The quality information of the communication paths includes at least one of the communication section, throughput performance, delay performance, and packet loss performance. In this way, it is possible to select, from among the multiple communication paths, a communication path that satisfies the communication quality requirements for the first application and the second application, based on the quality information of the communication paths.

[0077] (4) The communication path quality monitoring unit 205 stores the quality information of the communication path in association with information on the network operator that manages the network system. This makes it possible to select a communication path that includes a gateway device that constitutes an optimal route that meets the communication requirements of an application, even in an environment where gateway devices operated by different network operators coexist.

[0078] (5) A communication control method of the present invention is a communication control method for controlling communication paths that satisfy communication quality requirements of multiple applications using a computer 103 in a communication platform of a network system, the computer 103 having an arithmetic device 301 that executes predetermined arithmetic processing and a storage device 302 accessible by the arithmetic device 301. The arithmetic device 301 collects and manages quality information for each of multiple communication paths formed by different gateway devices 104 and 105, and selects one of the multiple communication paths based on the communication quality requirements for the multiple applications and the quality information of the communication paths. In this way, a communication control device 103 that can suppress deterioration of application availability can be provided.

[0079] (6) The storage device 302 stores, for each communication path, information on the identifier of the communication path and information on the gateway device that forms the communication path, in association with each other. This makes it possible to select a communication path that satisfies the communication quality requirements for the first application and the second application.

[0080] (7) For each communication path, the storage device 302 stores information about the identifier of the communication path and information about the network operator that manages the network system that provides the communication path, in association with each other. This makes it possible to select a communication path that includes a gateway device that constitutes an optimal route that meets the communication requirements of an application, even in an environment where gateway devices operated by different network operators coexist.

[0081] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and combinations of other configurations are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to those having all of the configurations described in the above-described embodiments, and includes those in which some of the configurations are added, deleted, or replaced.

[0082] Furthermore, the aforementioned components, functions, processing units, processing means, etc. may be implemented in part or in whole by hardware, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits, or by software, with a processor interpreting and executing a program that implements each function. Information such as programs, tables, and files that implement each function can be stored in a storage device such as a memory, hard disk, or SSD, or in a recording medium such as an integrated circuit (IC) card, a secure digital (SD) card, or a digital versatile disc (DVD). Furthermore, the control lines and information lines shown are those considered necessary for explanation, and do not necessarily represent all control lines and information lines necessary for implementation. In reality, it is safe to assume that almost all components are interconnected. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 101...Server terminal 102...Server-side communication platform 103...Communication control device 104...first gateway device 105...Second gateway device 111...Mobile carrier network 112...Edge communication platform 113...Edge terminal 201...Application DB 202…Communication path DB 203...Communication path selection unit 204...Communication control setting DB 205...Communication path quality monitoring unit 601...Communication path list (for downstream communication) 701...Communication path list (for uplink communication) 801...Application list (for downstream communication) 901...Application list (for upstream communication) 1001...Application list of communication paths used (for downstream communication) 1101...Application list of communication paths used (for uplink communication) 1301...Multiple MNO compatible application list for communication paths used (downstream communication) 1401...Multiple MNO compatible application list for communication paths used (for uplink communication)

Claims

1. A communication control device used in a network system having a first network to which an edge terminal running a first application is connected, a second network to which a server terminal running a second application is connected and which is an access destination of the edge terminal, and a plurality of gateway devices that respectively form different communication paths via the first network and the second network, the communication control device selecting the communication path that satisfies a communication quality requirement set for each application, an application database storing application information regarding the communication quality requirements of each application; a communication path quality monitoring unit that monitors quality information of each of the plurality of communication paths formed by the plurality of gateway devices; a communication path selection unit that selects, for each application, a communication path that satisfies the communication quality requirement from among the plurality of communication paths based on the application information and the quality information; the application information includes information on a required throughput performance, a required maximum delay, and a required packet loss rate for each of the applications; the quality information includes information on available throughput performance, delay time, and packet loss rate for each of the communication paths; the communication path selection unit selects, for each application, one or more communication paths whose available throughput performance is equal to or greater than the required throughput performance of the application, whose delay time is equal to or less than the required maximum delay of the application, and whose packet loss rate is equal to or less than the required packet loss rate of the application, as communication paths that satisfy the communication quality requirements; When a plurality of communication paths that satisfy the communication quality requirements are selected, the communication path selection unit determines the communication path with the smallest packet loss rate among the plurality of communication paths as the communication path for transmitting packets of the application. Communications control device.

2. 2. The communication control device according to claim 1, The communication path quality monitoring unit stores quality information of the communication path in association with information of the gateway device forming the communication path. Communications control device.

3. 2. The communication control device according to claim 1, The communication path quality monitoring unit stores the quality information of the communication path in association with information of a network operator that manages the network system. Communications control device.

4. A communication control method for controlling a communication path that satisfies communication quality requirements of a plurality of applications using a computer in a communication platform of a network system, comprising: the computer includes an arithmetic unit that executes predetermined arithmetic processing and a storage device that can be accessed by the arithmetic unit; the storage device has an application database for storing application information relating to the communication quality requirements of each application; the computing device collects and manages quality information for each of a plurality of communication paths formed by different gateway devices, and selects, for each application, a communication path that satisfies the communication quality requirements from among the plurality of communication paths based on the application information and the quality information; the application information includes information on a required throughput performance, a required maximum delay, and a required packet loss rate for each of the applications; the quality information includes information on available throughput performance, delay time, and packet loss rate for each of the communication paths; the computing device selects, for each of the applications, one or more communication paths whose provideable throughput performance is equal to or greater than the required throughput performance of the application, whose delay time is equal to or less than the required maximum delay of the application, and whose packet loss rate is equal to or less than the required packet loss rate of the application, as communication paths that satisfy the communication quality requirements; When a plurality of communication paths that satisfy the communication quality requirements are selected, the computing device determines, among the plurality of communication paths, the communication path with the smallest packet loss rate as the communication path for transmitting packets of the application. Communication control method.

5. 5. The communication control method according to claim 4, The storage device stores, for each of the communication paths, information on an identifier of the communication path and information on the gateway device that forms the communication path in association with each other. Communication control method.

6. 5. The communication control method according to claim 4, The storage device stores, for each of the communication paths, information on an identifier of the communication path and information on a network operator that manages the network system that provides the communication path, in association with each other. Communication control method.

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