Communication device, communication system, and communication method

Abstract

To provide a communication technique capable of quickly adapting to a communication environment.SOLUTION: A communication device includes: a state storage unit that stores state information that is information acquired at a specific moment among information that changes according to at least one of a position or time of the device itself; an internal state storage unit that associates information used for calculating a communication parameter used when performing information communication with the state information and stores the state information as internal state information; a calculation unit that calculates the communication parameter on the basis of the state information stored in the state storage unit and the internal state information stored in the internal state storage unit; and an output unit that outputs the calculated communication parameter.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] In a conventional wireless communication system having a transmitting device and a receiving device, when transmitting information from the transmitting device to the receiving device, there has been a method of wireless communication using multiple channels with different frequencies. In such a wireless communication system, there is a technology that, when wireless communication interference is detected, prevents unnecessary power consumption by not using the detected channel (for example, see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-157429 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the conventional technology described above, it is not possible to prevent unnecessary power consumption until the presence or absence of wireless communication interference is detected, and therefore, depending on the communication environment in which the transmitting device is placed, it may be difficult for the transmitting device to quickly adapt to the communication environment.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a communication technology that can quickly adapt to a communication environment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A communication device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a state storage unit that stores state information, which is information acquired at a specific moment among information that changes depending on at least one of the location of the device itself and time; an internal state storage unit that stores information used to calculate communication parameters used when performing information communication in association with the state information as internal state information; a calculation unit that calculates the communication parameters based on the state information stored in the state storage unit and the internal state information stored in the internal state storage unit; and an output unit that outputs the calculated communication parameters. The calculation unit estimates a radio wave congestion state around the device itself from the state information stored in the state storage unit, and calculates the communication parameters based on the estimated congestion state. do.

[0007] In addition, a communication device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a state memory unit that stores state information, which is information acquired at a specific moment among information that changes depending on at least one of the location of the device or the time, an internal state memory unit that associates information used to calculate communication parameters used when performing information communication with the state information and stores the state information as internal state information, a calculation unit that calculates the communication parameters based on the state information stored in the state memory unit and the internal state information stored in the internal state memory unit, and an output unit that outputs the calculated communication parameters, wherein the calculation unit estimates the density of people around the device from the state information stored in the state memory unit, and calculates the communication parameters based on the estimated density of people.

[0008] In addition, in a communication device according to one aspect of the present invention, The state information is audio information collected around the device itself, and the calculation unit performs estimation based on the audio information and calculates the communication parameters based on the estimation result. .

[0009] In addition, a communication device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a state memory unit that stores state information, which is information acquired at a specific moment among information that changes depending on at least one of the location of the device or the time, an internal state memory unit that associates information used to calculate communication parameters used when performing information communication with the state information and stores the state information as internal state information, a calculation unit that calculates the communication parameters based on the state information stored in the state memory unit and the internal state information stored in the internal state memory unit, and an output unit that outputs the calculated communication parameters, and further comprises an internal state acquisition unit that acquires information indicating the internal state of a device other than itself as the internal state information, wherein the internal state memory unit stores the acquired internal state information, and the calculation unit calculates the communication parameters based on the internal state information stored in the internal state memory unit.

[0023] In addition, the communication device according to one aspect of the present invention further comprises an internal state output unit that outputs the internal state information stored in the internal state storage unit at a predetermined inheritance timing.

[0024] In addition, a communication system according to one aspect of the present invention includes any of the communication devices described above and a relay device that transmits and receives the internal state information between one or more of the communication devices, and the relay device includes a relay information acquisition unit that acquires the internal state information output by the communication device as relay information, a relay information storage unit that stores the acquired relay information, and a relay information output unit that outputs the stored relay information to the communication device as the internal state information.

[0025] In addition, in a communication system according to one aspect of the present invention, the relay device further includes a shared relay information generation unit that generates shared relay information based on the relay information acquired from a plurality of the communication devices, the relay information storage unit stores the shared relay information as the relay information, and the relay information output unit outputs the shared relay information as the relay information.

[0026] Furthermore, a communication method according to one aspect of the present invention includes a state storage step of storing state information, which is information acquired at a specific moment among information that changes depending on at least one of the location of the device itself and the time, and an internal state storage step of storing, as internal state information, information used to calculate communication parameters used when performing information communication, in association with the state information; In the state storing step The stored status information; The internal state stored in the internal state storing step The method includes a calculation step of calculating the communication parameters based on the internal state information, and an output step of outputting the calculated communication parameters. The calculation step estimates a radio wave congestion state around the device from the state information stored in the state storage step, and calculates the communication parameters based on the estimated congestion state. . [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a communication technique that can quickly adapt to a communication environment. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a device configuration of a communication system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of information communication in the communication system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a transmission device according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a series of operations of the transmission device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining search and utilization of communication parameters according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 4 is a timing chart showing an example of timing of data transmitted by the transmitting device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating communication history information according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a communication system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a transmission device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a first modified example of the functional configuration of the transmission device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a second modified example of the functional configuration of the transmission device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating inheritance between transmission devices according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a communication system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining succession in the case where a relay device according to the third embodiment is used as a relay. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating proxy succession in the case where a relay device according to the third embodiment is used as a relay. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a relay device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a modified example of the functional configuration of the relay device according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are merely examples, and the embodiments to which the present invention is applied are not limited to the following embodiments.

[0030] [First embodiment] First, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a device configuration of a communication system according to the first embodiment. The communication system 1 will be described with reference to the diagram.

[0031] [Communication Systems] The communication system 1 includes a transmitting device 20 and a receiving device 30. The transmitting device 20 and the receiving device 30 communicate information with each other. The communication system 1 may include a plurality of transmitting devices 20 and a plurality of receiving devices 30. In this case, each transmitting device 20 communicates information with one or more receiving devices 30. With reference to the same figure, an example of the communication system 1 will be described, in which one transmitting device 20 and a plurality of receiving devices 30 are included. Specifically, an example of the receiving device 30 will be described, in which receiving devices 30-1, 30-2, and 30-3 are included.

[0032] The transmitting device 20 and the receiving device 30 communicate information with each other through short-range wireless communication. In the following description, an example of the case where the transmitting device 20 and the receiving device 30 communicate information with each other through wireless communication conforming to the Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard, particularly wireless communication conforming to the BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) standard, will be described as an example of short-range wireless communication. The short-distance wireless communication in this embodiment is not limited to the example of BLE, and various communication methods can be adopted. For example, the short-distance wireless communication may be NFC (Near Field Communication), Wi-Fi (registered trademark), IrDA (Infrared Data Association), TransferJet (registered trademark), ZigBee (registered trademark), etc. Alternatively, the wireless communication is not limited to short distances, and may be LPWA (Low Power Wide Area), etc.

[0033] When the communication system 1 performs information communication by wireless communication conforming to the BLE standard, the transmitting device 20 may be a peripheral, and the receiving device 30 may be a central. The transmitting device 20, which is a peripheral, transmits transmission information IS without identifying the receiving device 30. When the receiving device 30 located near the transmitting device 20 receives the transmission information IS, it transmits reception information IR. The information communication between the transmitting device 20 and the receiving device 30 may be a communication method in which multiple communication channels are defined within a predetermined frequency band. For example, the transmitting device 20 and the receiving device 30 may exchange information using advertisement packets in wireless communication that conforms to the BLE standard.

[0034] 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of information communication in the communication system according to the first embodiment. With reference to the diagram, an example of information communication performed between a transmitting device 20 and a receiving device 30 included in the communication system 1 will be described. The transmitting device 20 transmits the transmission information IS based on the communication parameters calculated by the algorithm 231. The communication parameters may include, for example, a frequency band used for communication, a signal transmission interval, the number of transmissions, or transmission power.

[0035] The transmitting device 20 includes a control unit 21 and a wireless communication unit 22 . The wireless communication unit 22 controls radio waves to be transmitted from the antenna 221 based on the communication parameters acquired from the control unit 21. The wireless communication unit 22 also outputs information based on the radio waves received by the antenna 221 to the control unit 21.

[0036] The control unit 21 includes an algorithm 231 and calculates communication parameters. By using the algorithm 231, the control unit 21 calculates communication parameters based on communication history information 233. The control unit 21 updates the calculated communication parameters as guideline information 232 as needed. The control unit 21 outputs the calculated communication parameters to the wireless communication unit 22. Furthermore, the control unit 21 acquires information about radio waves received by the antenna 221 from the wireless communication unit 22. The control unit 21 updates the guideline information 232 based on the deterioration rate included in the acquired information about radio waves.

[0037] The degradation rate is a value indicating the degree of degradation of communication quality, and may be calculated, for example, based on whether or not the transmission information IS transmitted by the transmitting device 20 reaches any of the receiving devices 30. In other words, the degradation rate may be a value indicating whether or not communication between the transmitting device 20 and the receiving device 30 is successful. In this case, the degradation rate may be a binary value. When the degradation rate is a binary value, the control unit 21 calculates it based on a control signal (e.g., an ACK signal) or the like that is returned when the receiving device 30 correctly receives the transmission information IS. As another embodiment of the control signal, the presence or absence of a scan response request in response to a BLE advertising packet may be used as the deterioration rate, or the presence or absence of a connection request from the central (i.e., the receiving device 30) may be used as the deterioration rate. The receiving device 30 may notify whether it has correctly received the transmission information IS using a different communication means rather than via wireless communication. If the receiving device 30 has correctly received the transmission information IS, the control unit 21 sets the deterioration rate to a low value. If the receiving device 30 has correctly received the transmission information IS, the control unit 21 may set the deterioration rate to 0 (zero).

[0038] In another embodiment, the deterioration rate may be based on information about the strength of radio waves included in the radio waves received by the antenna 221 from the receiving device 30. The information about the strength of radio waves may be, for example, a received signal strength indicator (RSSI). In this case, the receiving device 30 includes a radio wave strength measurement unit (not shown) that measures the radio wave strength when receiving the transmission information IS. The receiving device 30 transmits the measured radio wave strength to the transmitting device 20 as reception information IR. The control unit 21 sets a higher deterioration rate as the radio wave strength included in the received reception information IR decreases. In other words, a smaller deterioration rate indicates that the radio waves transmitted to the receiving device 30 have not deteriorated.

[0039] Furthermore, in another embodiment, the deterioration rate may be calculated from the error rate when the receiving device 30 receives information encoded with an error detection code or an error correction code. In this case, the control unit 31 included in the receiving device 30 calculates the error rate of the transmission information IS acquired from the transmitting device 20. The receiving device 30 transmits the calculated error rate to the transmitting device 20 as reception information IR. The control unit 21 included in the transmitting device 20 sets the deterioration rate higher as the error rate included in the received reception information IR is higher. In other words, the signal transmitted to the receiving device 30 based on the output communication parameters is coded using a coding method with an error detection function, and the degradation rate is based on the error rate when the signal received from the receiving device 30 is decoded.

[0040] The receiving device 30 includes a control unit 31 and a wireless communication unit 32 . The wireless communication unit 32 receives radio waves from the transmitting device 20 via the antenna 321. The control unit 31 calculates the radio wave strength (RSSI) and error rate of the received radio waves based on the information of the received radio waves input from the wireless communication unit 32. The wireless communication unit 32 outputs the radio wave strength, error rate, etc. calculated by the control unit 31 as reception information IR.

[0041] Here, the transmitting device 20 and the receiving device 30 may have the same device configuration. That is, in the communication system 1, a device that behaves as a transmitter at a certain point in time is referred to as the transmitting device 20, and a device that receives radio waves transmitted by the transmitting device 20 is referred to as the receiving device 30. In the following description, when there is no need to distinguish between the transmitting device 20 and the receiving device 30, they are also referred to as the communication device 10.

[0042] [Functional configuration of the transmitter] 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the transmission device according to the first embodiment. An example of the functional configuration of the transmission device 20 will be described with reference to the same figure. Components already described in the description of the communication system 1 will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof may be omitted. The transmitting device 20 includes a control unit 21 and a wireless communication unit 22. The transmitting device 20 includes a central processing unit (CPU) (not shown), a storage device such as a read only memory (ROM) or a random access memory (RAM), etc., which are connected via a bus, and functions as a device including the control unit 21 and the wireless communication unit 22 by executing a transmission program. The control unit 21 includes an internal state storage unit 242 , a calculation unit 212 , an output unit 213 , a storage control unit 215 , a state storage unit 251 , and a state information acquisition unit 252 .

[0043] All or part of the functions of the transmitting device 20 may be realized using hardware such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a PLD (Programmable Logic Device), or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). The transmission program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Examples of computer-readable recording media include portable media such as flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, ROMs, and CD-ROMs, and storage devices such as hard disks built into computer systems. The transmission program may be transmitted via a telecommunications line.

[0044] The state storage unit 251 stores state information IC. The state information IC is information acquired at a specific moment that changes depending on at least one of the location of the device itself and the time. The state information IC may be, for example, time information indicating the time, location information indicating the location of the device itself, environmental information around the device itself, etc. The position information indicating the position of the own device may be position information indicating the position of the own device in a three-dimensional space, or may be position information indicating the position of the own device in two-dimensional coordinate information. In the case of two-dimensional coordinate information, height (altitude) information is not required.

[0045] When the status information IC is time information, for example, the status storage unit 251 may store the current time measured by a time measuring unit (not shown) provided in the transmission device 20. The time information may be updated by the time measuring unit. When the status information IC is location information, it may be, for example, location coordinates acquired using a positioning system. The location coordinates are acquired by a GPS (Global Positioning System) communication unit (not shown) provided in the transmitting device 20. The GPS communication unit receives radio waves from artificial satellites such as GPS. The location of the device itself is measured based on the received radio waves. When the state information IC is environmental information, for example, the state storage unit 251 stores environmental information such as temperature, humidity, illuminance, UV (ultraviolet rays), air pressure, noise, acceleration, etc. The state information IC is acquired by an environmental sensor (environmental information acquisition unit) such as a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, illuminance sensor, UV sensor, air pressure sensor, noise sensor, acceleration sensor, etc. (not shown) provided in the transmitting device 20 depending on the type of environmental information. The clock unit, GPS communication unit, and environmental sensor may be provided externally to the transmission device 20. In this case, the transmission device 20 acquires the status information IC from the externally provided clock unit, GPS communication unit, and environmental sensor.

[0046] When the transmitting device 20 acquires the status information IC via Wi-Fi, the location information may be estimated based on information about the connected access point. Alternatively, the location information may be estimated based on location information about the access point and information about the distance from the access point to the transmitting device. In other words, the location information may be estimated based on radio waves used to acquire the status information IC. Furthermore, the location information may be estimated based on radio waves for performing information communication that are different from the radio waves for acquiring the status information IC. That is, the location information may be estimated based on both or either one of the radio waves for acquiring the status information IC and the radio waves for performing information communication.

[0047] When there is no need to distinguish between devices for acquiring status information IC, such as a timekeeping unit, a GPS communication unit, and an environmental information acquisition unit, they are also referred to as status information acquisition device 50. The state information acquisition unit 252 may acquire the state information IC from the state information acquisition device 50.

[0048] The state storage unit 251 may store a plurality of pieces of state information IC acquired at a plurality of moments. That is, the state storage unit 251 may store a history of the state information IC.

[0049] The internal state storage unit 242 stores internal state information ISI. The internal state information ISI is information in which information used to calculate communication parameters PM used when the transmission device 20 performs information communication is associated with state information IC. The information used to calculate the communication parameters PM may be, for example, learned parameters learned by a machine learning algorithm or an action value function used by a reinforcement learning algorithm.

[0050] The internal state storage unit 242 may function as the communication history information storage unit 211 that stores the communication history information IH. Here, the communication history information IH is an example of the internal state information ISI. The communication history information IH is information in which communication parameters PM for performing information communication are associated with a deterioration rate D when the information communication is performed using the communication parameters PM. The deterioration rate D is a value based on the radio waves transmitted using the communication parameters PM when transmitting information to the receiving device 30 and the radio waves received from the receiving device 30. For example, the deterioration rate D may be defined as deterioration rate D = (radio wave intensity of received radio waves / radio wave intensity of transmitted radio waves). The communication history information storage unit 211 may include a volatile random access memory (RAM) or a non-volatile read only memory (ROM).

[0051] The calculation unit 212 calculates the communication parameters PM based on the state information IC stored in the state storage unit 251 and the internal state information ISI stored in the internal state storage unit 242. When the state storage unit 251 stores a plurality of pieces of state information IC, the calculation unit 212 determines the communication parameters PM based on the plurality of pieces of stored state information IC.

[0052] When the state information IC is information indicating a time, the calculation unit 212 acquires information corresponding to the time indicated in the state information IC from the internal state storage unit 242, and calculates the communication parameters PM based on the acquired information. That is, the calculation unit 212 calculates the communication parameters PM based on the information stored in the internal state storage unit 242 and corresponding to the time indicated in the state information IC stored in the state storage unit 251.

[0053] Similarly, when the state information IC is information indicating environmental information, the calculation unit 212 acquires information corresponding to the environmental information indicated in the state information IC from the internal state storage unit 242, and calculates the communication parameters PM based on the acquired information. That is, the calculation unit 212 calculates the communication parameters PM based on the information stored in the internal state storage unit 242 and corresponding to the environmental information indicated in the state information IC stored in the state storage unit 251.

[0054] Similarly, when the state information IC indicates the location information of the device itself, the calculation unit 212 acquires information corresponding to the location information indicated in the state information IC from the internal state storage unit 242, and calculates the communication parameters PM based on the acquired information. That is, the calculation unit 212 calculates the communication parameters PM based on the information stored in the internal state storage unit 242 and corresponding to the location information indicated in the state information IC stored in the state storage unit 251.

[0055] As another example of the status information IC, the status information IC may be image information of the surroundings of the device itself, or audio information collected and recorded around the device itself. In this case, the status information acquisition unit 252 acquires the image information or audio information from a camera or microphone (not shown). In this case, the calculation unit 212 performs estimation based on the acquired image information and calculates the communication parameters PM based on the estimated results. Similarly, the calculation unit 212 performs estimation based on the acquired audio information and calculates the communication parameters PM based on the estimated results.

[0056] Furthermore, the calculation unit 212 may estimate a radio wave congestion state from the state information IC, and calculate the communication parameters PM based on the estimated congestion state. That is, the calculation unit 212 estimates a radio wave congestion state around the device itself from the state information IC stored in the state storage unit 251, and calculates the communication parameters IC based on the estimated congestion state IC.

[0057] Furthermore, the calculation unit 212 may estimate the density of people instead of the radio wave congestion state. In this case, the calculation unit 212 estimates the density of people around the device itself from the state information IC stored in the state storage unit 251, and calculates the communication parameter PM based on the estimated density of people.

[0058] As another example of the state information IC, the state information IC may be information indicating the weather around the device. When the state information IC is information indicating the weather around the device, the calculation unit 212 acquires information corresponding to the information indicating the weather indicated in the state information IC from the internal state storage unit 242, and calculates the communication parameters PM based on the acquired information. In other words, the calculation unit 212 calculates the communication parameters PM based on information stored in the internal state storage unit 242 that corresponds to the information indicating the weather indicated in the state information stored in the state storage unit 251. Here, the weather information includes information related to meteorology such as temperature, humidity, visibility, wind, cloud cover, rain, snow, and lightning, and is acquired by various sensors (not shown). Alternatively, the weather information may be acquired from outside using some communication method.

[0059] The calculation unit 212 calculates the communication parameters PM using a machine learning algorithm. The machine learning algorithm may be a reinforcement learning algorithm that uses state information, such as Q-learning or deep reinforcement learning. When the machine learning algorithm is a reinforcement learning algorithm, the machine learning algorithm uses a value calculated from the deterioration rate D as a reward and learns the communication parameters PM for maximizing the reward. Note that it is preferable that the higher the deterioration rate D, the smaller the reward value.

[0060] Here, the machine learning algorithm may be a trained model that has been trained in advance. Note that, at the time of the first operation, the machine learning algorithm may be untrained. Therefore, when the machine learning algorithm is untrained, the result may be determined by a random number. The machine learning algorithm is trained based on the communication history information IH. The communication history information IH is information in which the communication parameters PM output by the output unit 213 are associated with the deterioration rate D obtained as a result of information communication using the communication parameters PM. That is, the calculation unit 212 is trained based on the deterioration rate D obtained as a result of information communication using the communication parameters PM output by the output unit 213.

[0061] The internal state storage unit 242 may store a plurality of pieces of internal state information ISI. In this case, the calculation unit 212 calculates the communication parameters PM based on the internal state information ISI corresponding to the state information IC stored in the state storage unit 251, among the plurality of pieces of internal state information ISI stored.

[0062] The calculation unit 212 outputs parameter information IP including the calculated communication parameters PM to the output unit 213.

[0063] The output unit 213 outputs parameter information IP including the communication parameters PM calculated by the calculation unit 212 to the wireless communication unit 22. The wireless communication unit 22 communicates information with the receiving device 30 based on the communication parameters PM included in the parameter information IP output by the output unit 213.

[0064] The storage control unit 215 acquires degradation information ID including a degradation rate D from the wireless communication unit 22. The storage control unit 215 associates the acquired degradation information ID with the communication parameters PM and stores the associated degradation information ID as communication history information IH in the communication history information storage unit 211. The storage control unit 215 acquires parameter information IP from at least one of the output unit 213 and the wireless communication unit 22, generates communication history information IH by associating the communication parameters PM included in the acquired parameter information IP with the degradation rate D, and stores the generated communication history information IH in the communication history information storage unit 211.

[0065] 4 is a diagram for explaining a series of operations of the transmission device according to the first embodiment. An example of the operation of the transmission device 20 will be described with reference to the diagram. The calculation unit 212 refers to the state information IC stored in the state storage unit 251 and the internal state information ISI stored in the internal state storage unit 242, and determines the communication parameters PM.

[0066] Here, an example of the internal state information ISI will be described. The internal state information ISI is information in which a "communication environment", a "value function A", and a "value function B" are associated with each other. The "communication environment" is information corresponding to the type of state information IC. If the state information IC is time information, the "communication environment" is information related to the time. If the state information IC is location information, the "communication environment" is information related to the location. If the state information IC is environment information, the "communication environment" is information related to the environment. Both "value function A" and "value function B" may be action value functions in reinforcement learning.

[0067] In the example shown in FIG. 4, environment 1 corresponds to the "communication environment," A1 corresponds to the "value function A," and B1 corresponds to the "value function B," environment 2 corresponds to the "communication environment," A2 corresponds to the "value function A," and B2 corresponds to the "value function B," environment 3 corresponds to the "communication environment," A3 corresponds to the "value function A," and B3 corresponds to the "value function B," environment 4 corresponds to the "communication environment," A4 corresponds to the "value function A," and B4 corresponds to the "value function B," ... environment n corresponds to the "communication environment," An corresponds to the "value function A," and Bn corresponds to the "value function B," are associated (n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1).

[0068] The calculation unit 212 acquires the state information IC from the state storage unit 251, selects a value function according to the communication environment based on the state information IC and the internal state information ISI, and determines the communication parameters PM based on the selected value function. The communication parameters PM include, for example, a communication channel and a communication strength. 4, a value function according to environment 2 is selected, and a communication channel and communication strength are determined based on the selected value function. Specifically, channel 37 and channel 38 are determined as communication channels, and −8 [dBm] is determined as communication strength.

[0069] The calculation unit 212 updates the internal state information ISI stored in the internal state storage unit 242 in accordance with the parameters used in the communication and the communication result. In this way, the calculation unit 212 repeats the "search" operation, which is the operation of learning suitable communication parameters, and the "utilization" operation, which is the operation of using the communication parameters PM determined in the search to perform communication, thereby deriving the optimal communication parameters at the time of information communication.

[0070] 5 is a diagram for explaining the search and utilization of communication parameters according to the first embodiment. With reference to the drawing, the "search" and "utilization" of the algorithm 231 will be explained. The algorithm 231 is an example of the calculation unit 212. "Parameter A" and "parameter B" are examples of communication parameters PM. That is, in the example described with reference to the same figure, the communication parameters PM have two parameters. The change in each parameter over time is shown with the horizontal axis representing time. "Communication" indicates whether the algorithm 231 is performing "exploration" or "utilization" with the horizontal axis representing time. "Exploration" is shown with a solid rectangle, and "utilization" is shown with a hollow rectangle.

[0071] time t 11 At time t, the algorithm 231 performs a "search." The algorithm 231 determines the value of parameter A to be "A1" and the value of parameter B to be "B1." 11 From time t 12 The transmitting device 20 performs information communication using the determined communication parameters PM from time t 11 From time t 12 This is how we make use of it. time t 12 In this case, the algorithm 231 calculates the time t 11 From time t 12 As a result of "utilizing" the communication parameters PM over a period of time, the algorithm 231 "searches" for more suitable communication parameters PM based on the accumulated communication history information IH. As a result of the search, the algorithm 231 changes the value of parameter A from "A1" to "A2" and the value of parameter B from "B1" to "B2". At time t 12 From time t 13 During this period, the transmitting device 20 performs information communication using the determined communication parameters PM.

[0072] time t 13 In this case, the algorithm 231 calculates the time t 11 From time t 12 , and time t 12 From time t 13 As a result of "utilizing" the communication parameters PM over a period of time, the algorithm 231 "searches" for more suitable communication parameters PM based on the accumulated communication history information IH. As a result of the search, the algorithm 231 changes the value of parameter A from "A2" to "A3" and the value of parameter B from "B2" to "B3". At time t 13 From time t14 During this period, the transmitting device 20 performs information communication using the determined communication parameters PM.

[0073] As described above, the algorithm 231 repeats "search" and "utilization" to derive suitable communication parameters PM, and performs information communication based on the derived communication parameters PM. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the timing of the "search" is time t 11 , time t 12 , time t 13 , and time t 14 , is a predetermined timing determined by the algorithm 231. The timing for performing the "search" may be irregular, as in this example, or may be regular.

[0074] Specifically, the algorithm 231 is a machine learning algorithm. More specifically, the algorithm 231 may be a MAB (Multi-Armed Bandit) algorithm or the like. That is, the calculation unit 212 may learn using the MAB algorithm (Multi-Armed Bandit algorithm). By using the MAB algorithm, the transmitting device 20 can reliably transmit information to the receiving device 30 with low power consumption.

[0075] [MAB algorithm] The MAB algorithm will be described below. The MAB algorithm is used to solve the problem of maximizing rewards within a limited number of attempts when there are multiple slot machines with unknown reward probabilities. In order to determine suitable communication parameters PM using this MAB algorithm, the reward amount must be set taking into consideration the trade-off between the power consumption required for transmission and whether or not the receiving device 30 has correctly received information. The transmitting device 20 acquires the amount of power required for communication using a predetermined method. The transmitting device 20 may measure the amount of power actually consumed, for example, by including a power meter (not shown). Alternatively, the transmitting device 20 may store a power consumption correspondence table (not shown) in which communication parameters PM are associated with estimated amounts of power consumption, and acquire the amount of power by referring to the power consumption correspondence table.

[0076] Since lower power consumption is more preferable, it is desirable to decrease the amount of reward as power consumption increases. By decreasing the amount of reward as power consumption increases, algorithm 231, which is the MAB algorithm, determines communication parameters PM so as to reduce power consumption, thereby making it possible to suppress the amount of power required for transmission. Since a lower degradation rate D means that information was transmitted with higher quality (i.e., more reliably), it is desirable to increase the amount of reward as the degradation rate D decreases.

[0077] The algorithm 231 constructs the communication history information IH using the calculated deterioration rate D. For example, the communication history information IH may be time-series data of the deterioration rate D. The algorithm 231 determines suitable communication parameters PM based on the communication history information IH, which is time-series data of the deterioration rate D. The communication history information IH may be a single value calculated based on the deterioration rate D accumulated in the past.

[0078] As another example, instead of storing the communication history information IH in the transmitting device 20, the communication history information IH may be acquired from another device. The other device may be, for example, the receiving device 30. That is, in another example, the receiving device 30 stores the communication history information IH instead of the transmitting device 20. In this case, the receiving device 30 may count the number of times it has successfully received information from the transmitting device 20 without any dropouts, and estimate the deterioration rate based on the counted number. In this case, the receiving device 30 transmits the communication history information IH to the transmitting device 20 at a predetermined timing.

[0079] Furthermore, when the communication parameters PM have multiple parameters as their components and each parameter is composed of discrete values, the algorithm 231 can select one from all possible combinations of the communication parameters PM. That is, the algorithm 231 calculates the communication parameters PM by selecting one combination from among the combinations of multiple components included in the communication parameters PM. Specifically, a case will be described in which the communication parameter PM has components x, y, and z. For example, if the component x is a ternary value of x1, x2, and x3, the component y is a binary value of y1 and y2, and the component z is a ternary value of z1, z2, and z3, the algorithm can determine the communication parameter PM by selecting one from 18 (3 x 2 x 3) combinations. With this configuration, the algorithm 231 can easily select an optimal communication parameter PM consisting of multiple components.

[0080] Here, when the combination of communication parameters PM is somewhat complicated, the algorithm 231 can use the UCB (Upper Confidence Bound) 1 algorithm. In this case, the calculation unit 212 performs learning using the UCB1 algorithm. Furthermore, if it is necessary to operate on a microcomputer with low specifications, a lighter TOW (Tug of War) algorithm can be used as the algorithm 231. In this case, the calculation unit 212 is trained using the TOW algorithm. The UCB1 algorithm referred to here includes the UCB1 algorithm and the UCB1-tuned algorithm.

[0081] [Communication parameters] FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing an example of the timing of data transmitted by a transmitting device according to an embodiment. Specific components of the communication parameters PM will be described with reference to the diagram. In this example, the communication parameters PM have, as their components, a "communication channel," a "first transmission interval SI1," a "second transmission interval SI2," a "number of transmissions ST," and a "transmission power." In the example shown in the diagram, three channels, 37ch (2402 MHz), 38ch (2426 MHz), and 39ch (2480 MHz), which are advertising channels used for BLE advertising, are used as "communication channels." In the diagram, the horizontal axis shows the time axis, which indicates the change over time in data transmitted on each channel.

[0082] time t 21 From time t 22 During the period T 21 indicates the period required to transmit data A. Specifically, the wireless communication unit 22 21 In this example, data A is output to channel 37, then data A is output to channel 38, and then data A is output to channel 39. After outputting data A to each channel, wireless communication unit 22 waits a first transmission interval SI1, and then outputs data A to each channel again. This is repeated until the predetermined number of transmissions ST is reached. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the number of transmissions ST is 4, so the same data is output four times for each channel. That is, the communication parameters PM include a first transmission interval SI1, and the wireless communication unit 22 transmits a signal to the receiving device 30 based on the first transmission interval SI1.

[0083] Here, the first transmission interval SI1 is the interval at which the same data is sent to each channel. According to BLE, advertisement processing is performed for each of the multiple advertising channels, and is performed separately for, for example, the three advertising channels 37, 38, and 39. Here, each channel may interfere with other radio waves present in space. If interference occurs on all three channels, or if the receiving device 30 is not ready to receive, a situation may occur in which the information transmitted by the transmitting device 20 does not reach the receiving device 30. To prepare for such a situation, packets in which the same data is encoded are periodically transmitted multiple times. Note that the case where the receiving device is not ready to receive means that the BLE receiving side (central) performs the receiving operation intermittently to reduce power consumption, for example.

[0084] The wireless communication unit 22 receives a 21 After the second transmission interval SI2 has elapsed since the data A started to be output at time t 23 From time t 24 In this example, the wireless communication unit 22 outputs data B to channels 37, 38, and 39. The second sending interval SI2 is the interval between when data is updated and when it is newly transmitted.

[0085] Here, the wireless communication unit 22 completes the process of transmitting information to the receiving device 30 within the transmission time, which is the time from when the signal generation starts to when the transmission is completed. The calculation unit 212 may adjust the communication parameters PM to reduce the transmission time when the receiving device 30 continuously and stably receives information transmitted by the wireless communication unit 22. In this case, the calculation unit 212 may adjust the communication parameters PM to reduce the transmission time based on information included in the received information IR received from the receiving device 30.

[0086] Note that whether the receiving device 30 has continuously and stably received the information transmitted by the wireless communication unit 22 may be determined by the receiving device 30 or by the transmitting device 20. When the transmitting device 20 determines this, the determination may be based on whether or not there has been received information IR in response to the transmitted information IS.

[0087] Furthermore, the wireless communication unit 22 repeatedly performs a transmission process from the time the system is started up until the end of the expected operating life. The system is, for example, a system that operates the transmitting device 20, and the time of system start-up may be when the transmitting device 20 is powered on. The time when the transmitting device 20 is powered on may be when the power is first turned on before shipping from the factory, or when the power is first turned on after shipping from the factory.

[0088] In this case, the calculation unit 212 adjusts the communication parameters PM so as to reduce the total time required for the information transmission process when the receiving device 30 continuously and stably receives information transmitted by the wireless communication unit 22. The calculation unit 212 may adjust the communication parameters PM so as to reduce the total time required for the information transmission process, based on information included in the received information IR received from the receiving device 30.

[0089] Furthermore, the wireless communication unit 22 transmits first data (data A) obtained by encoding the same data at a first transmission interval SI1 until a specific number of transmissions ST is reached, and then transmits second data (data B) different from the first data at a second transmission interval SI2. Furthermore, third, fourth, ..., nth (n is a natural number equal to or greater than 1) different data may be continuously transmitted at the second transmission interval SI2. In this case, the communication parameters PM include a second transmission interval SI2 and a transmission count ST.

[0090] Furthermore, the calculation unit 212 adjusts the communication parameters PM so as to decrease the number of transmissions ST when the receiving device 30 continuously and stably receives information transmitted by the wireless communication unit 22. The calculation unit 212 may adjust the communication parameters PM so as to decrease the number of transmissions ST based on information included in the reception information IR received from the receiving device 30.

[0091] If the communication parameters PM include the second transmission interval SI2, the calculation unit 212 may adjust the communication parameters PM so as to increase the second transmission interval SI2 when the receiving device 30 continuously and stably receives information transmitted by the wireless communication unit 22. Furthermore, the calculation unit 212 may adjust the communication parameters PM so as to increase the second transmission interval SI2 when the receiving device 30 does not continuously receive information transmitted by the wireless communication unit 22. Furthermore, when the communication environment improves and data can be stably received, the second transmission interval SI2 may be decreased or restored to its original value. By decreasing the second transmission interval SI2 or restoring it to its original value, the time required to connect to the receiving device 30 can be shortened, thereby enabling a stable connection. The second transmission interval SI2 may be decreased when urgent data is being transmitted, thereby reducing power consumption when transmitting normal data and enabling urgent data to be transmitted to the receiving device 30 without delay.

[0092] [Channel Mask] Next, a channel mask, which is an example of a communication parameter PM, will be described. A channel mask is a communication parameter for determining a channel to be used when a communication method in which multiple channels are defined within a usable band is used. When a communication method in which multiple channels are defined within a usable band is used, the communication parameter PM may include a channel mask for determining a channel to be used.

[0093] In other words, the channel specified by the channel mask may be a channel not used for communication. Specifically, when the communication method in this embodiment is advertising defined in the BLE standard, the communication channel may be an advertising channel defined in the BLE standard. The advertising may be connection-enabled advertising. The deterioration rate D may be a value calculated based on whether a connection request has been responded to. The calculation unit 212 determines the communication parameters PM so that the deterioration rate D decreases when communication is performed with the receiving device 30 of a specific party via a channel mask included in the calculated communication parameters PM.

[0094] For example, BLE advertising processing is performed separately for three advertising channels: 37, 38, and 39. In this case, if channel 38 is masked, advertising processing is performed using channels 37 and 39, and if channels 38 and 39 are masked, advertising processing is performed using channel 37. Naturally, the fewer channels used, the less power required for transmission, but on the other hand, there is a trade-off in that the probability of information not being transmitted due to interference increases.

[0095] If the environment in which the transmitting device 20 is located is a communication environment with little interference, the number of channels used should be minimized by the channel mask, and limited to channels with the lowest probability of interference. On the other hand, if the environment in which the transmitting device 20 is located is a communication environment with a lot of interference, more channels should be used even at the expense of power consumption. Although the transmitting device 20 cannot know the state of the communication environment in advance, by "utilizing" and "searching" for the channel mask, it can adapt to the communication environment in which it is located and select an appropriate channel mask that transmits information with low power consumption.

[0096] Here, as a simplified procedure, it is preferable to adjust the channel mask so that more channels are used for information communication when the deterioration rate D increases. Also, when the deterioration rate D is considered to be sufficiently small, it is preferable to reduce the number of channels used for communication and suppress power consumption. These are contradictory concepts, and it is preferable for algorithm 231 to update the channel mask appropriately, taking into account the trade-off between reliable information transmission and power consumption.

[0097] For example, advertising may accept a scan request. In this case, a central receiving an advertising packet can send a scan request, and the degradation rate D is calculated based on whether the scan request is responded to. Also, when a transmitting device 20 communicates with multiple receiving devices 30, the degradation rate D may be calculated based on the number of times a specific receiving device 30 receives the advertising packet.

[0098] [Transmission interval and number of times] Next, the first transmission interval SI1, the number of transmissions ST, and the second transmission interval SI2, which are examples of the communication parameters PM, will be described in more detail. The first transmission interval SI1 is the time interval for transmitting the same data. This reduces the probability of interference by dispersing (adding redundancy to) the transmission of information over time. However, it is not realistic to simply define a procedure based on the degradation rate. For example, it is desirable to lengthen the time interval when continuous interference occurs over a relatively long period of time. On the other hand, it is desirable to shorten the time interval when interference occurs frequently in bursts (condensed into a short period of time). Since it is difficult to predict in advance the degree of interference that depends on the time of such a communication environment, the transmitting device 20 derives suitable communication parameters PM using "utilization" and "search."

[0099] It is desirable to increase the number of transmissions ST when the deterioration rate D increases, and decrease it when the deterioration rate D is considered to be sufficiently small. This is because reducing the number of transmissions ST reduces the required power. Considering the first transmission interval SI1 and the number of transmissions ST together, it is desirable to reduce power consumption by shortening the time required to complete transmission of the same data (required transmission time, e.g., first transmission interval SI1 × number of transmissions ST). This is because a control unit (not shown, a microcontroller, integrated circuit, or other electronic circuit) must continue operating for the next transmission process during the required transmission time, and power consumption increases as the required transmission time increases.

[0100] Therefore, it is desirable to increase the required transmission time when the deterioration rate D increases, and to decrease it when the deterioration rate D is deemed to be sufficiently small. Because the required transmission time is determined by the first transmission interval SI1 and the number of transmissions ST, the algorithm 231 adjusts these values ​​independently.

[0101] When the receiving device 30 receives information transmitted by the wireless communication unit 22 continuously and stably, the calculation unit 212 may adjust the communication parameter PM so as to decrease the first transmission interval SI1.

[0102] The second transmission interval SI2 is the interval at which updated information is newly transmitted. For example, if the information is not updated frequently and the deterioration rate D is considered to be sufficiently small, it is desirable to increase the second transmission interval SI2. The second transmission interval SI2 also affects the power consumption from the start to end of operation of the device.

[0103] When it is assumed that the receiving device 30, which is the device to which information is to be transmitted, is not within the communication range of the transmitting device 20, it is desirable to increase the second transmission interval SI2 in order to prevent frequent unnecessary information transmission. This occurs, for example, when communication is interrupted even when all channels are used and the transmission power is sufficiently high. The number of channels and transmission power should be maintained as they are in case the receiving device 30, which is the communication partner, recovers, but the frequency of presence confirmation should be reduced.

[0104] The above-mentioned time elements (first transmission interval SI1, number of transmissions ST, and second transmission interval SI2) do not necessarily have to be used with values ​​that exactly match the values ​​determined by algorithm 231. For example, the values ​​determined by algorithm 231 may be used as communication intervals with a certain degree of latitude. In other words, the first transmission interval SI1, number of transmissions ST, and second transmission interval SI2 may be time intervals based on random values. For example, time intervals based on random values ​​may be realized by adding or subtracting a random value to or from the determined values. The method of using a time interval based on a random value is useful for preventing interference caused by matching intervals when multiple devices use the method of communication system 1. For example, if device A's transmission interval is 400 ms (milliseconds) and device B's transmission interval is also 400 ms, interference may continue because the timing is matching. Even in such a case, interference can be avoided by determining the time interval based on a random value.

[0105] [Transmission power] When the transmission power is included in the communication parameters PM, it is desirable to increase the radio wave strength when the deterioration rate D increases, and to decrease the radio wave strength when the deterioration rate D is deemed sufficiently small. This is because the required power can be reduced by adjusting the radio wave strength according to the communication environment.

[0106] Although the components of the transmitting device 20 have been described as the communication parameters PM, the components of the receiving device 30 may also be used as communication parameters. The components of the receiving device 30 may be, for example, the ON duty ratio of the communication unit of the receiving device 30, the number of stages in a multistage amplifier, the response speed of a reply to a received packet, etc.

[0107] [Modification of communication history information] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a modified example of communication history information according to an embodiment. The communication history information IHA will be described with reference to the same figure. The communication history information IHA is a modified example of the communication history information IH. The same components as those in the communication history information IH are given the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof may be omitted. The communication history information IHA differs from the communication history information IH in that it further includes a parameter identifier PMID and includes, as communication parameters PM, a channel mask CM, a first transmission interval SI1, a transmission count ST, a second transmission interval SI2, and power consumption PC.

[0108] The communication history information IHA is stored in the communication history information storage unit 211, and the calculation unit 212 calculates the communication parameters PM based on the communication history information IHA stored in the communication history information storage unit 211. The power consumption PC is the power consumption resulting from transmitting radio waves using the communication parameters PM included in the communication history information IHA. The communication history information IHA is associated with a deterioration rate D when the communication parameters PM are used. That is, the calculation unit 212 calculates the communication parameters PM based on the power consumption PC resulting from transmitting radio waves using the communication parameters PM included in the communication history information IHA and the corresponding deterioration rate D. More specifically, the calculation unit 212 calculates the communication parameters PM so as to reduce the power consumption PC.

[0109] The communication history information IHA includes the communication parameters PM, which are a channel mask CM, a first transmission interval SI1, a number of transmissions ST, a second transmission interval SI2, and power consumption PC, so that the transmitting device 20 can communicate more accurately using suitable communication parameters PM, taking into account the trade-off between communication reliability and power consumption.

[0110] Here, since the communication history information IHA has a parameter identifier PMID, it is possible to thoroughly consider all possible combinations of values ​​for each communication parameter PM. Furthermore, since the communication history information IHA has a parameter identifier PMID, the algorithm 231 can easily find suitable parameters.

[0111] [Summary of the first embodiment] According to the embodiment described above, the transmitting device 20 includes the state storage unit 251 to store the state information IC, the internal state storage unit 242 to store the internal state information ISI, the calculation unit 212 to calculate the communication parameters PM based on the state information IC and the internal state information ISI, and the output unit 213 to output the calculated communication parameters PM. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the communication parameters PM are determined based on the state information IC, and therefore the transmitting device 20 can adapt to the communication environment quickly.

[0112] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the calculation unit 212 includes a machine learning algorithm, and the internal state information ISI includes learned parameters learned by the machine learning algorithm. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, by using machine learning, it is possible to determine suitable communication parameters PM based on multiple input variables (communication results, multiple pieces of state information).

[0113] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the machine learning algorithm is a reinforcement learning algorithm, and the internal state information ISI includes an action value function used by the reinforcement learning algorithm. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the system can repeat search and utilization on its own, and quickly determine communication parameters PM adapted to the environment.

[0114] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the state storage unit 251 stores multiple pieces of state information IC acquired at multiple instants, and the calculation unit 212 determines the communication parameters PM based on the multiple pieces of stored state information IC. Therefore, according to this embodiment, not only the current state but also past states can be stored and utilized. Therefore, according to this embodiment, more suitable communication parameters PM can be determined.

[0115] According to the embodiment described above, the transmission device 20 further includes a status information acquisition unit 252 for acquiring status information. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the transmission device 20 can acquire information from a sensor provided inside or outside the transmission device 20.

[0116] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the status information IC is information indicating the time of day. Here, the communication conditions may vary depending on the time of day. For example, the communication conditions may be poor during the daytime when many people use radio waves, and good during the nighttime when many people do not use radio waves. According to this embodiment, the transmitting device 20 can adapt to a communication environment in which the communication conditions vary depending on the time of day.

[0117] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the status information IC is information indicating environmental information. Here, the communication situation may vary depending on the surrounding environment. For example, the number of people using radio waves may differ on a rainy day and a sunny day. According to this embodiment, the transmitting device 20 can adapt to a communication environment in which the communication situation varies depending on the surrounding environment.

[0118] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the status information IC is information indicating the location information of the device itself. Here, the communication situation may vary depending on the location of the device itself. For example, the number of people using radio waves may differ between urban and rural areas. According to this embodiment, the transmitting device 20 can adapt to a communication environment in which the communication situation varies depending on the location of the device itself. In this embodiment, the position information is not limited to absolute position information, but also includes relative position information such as the distance and positional relationship between the object.

[0119] According to the embodiment described above, the location information is location coordinates acquired using a positioning system. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the transmitting device 20 can acquire location information or coordinate information from an externally provided positioning system.

[0120] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, location information is estimated based on both or either one of radio waves for acquiring status information IC and radio waves for performing information communication. Therefore, according to this embodiment, location information can be acquired even in a building where GPS radio waves cannot be acquired. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, location information is determined by radio waves in addition to location information estimated by GPS, so location information can be estimated more simply and in more detail.

[0121] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the calculation unit 212 estimates the radio wave congestion state around the device itself from the state information IC stored in the state storage unit 251, and calculates the communication parameters PM based on the estimated congestion state. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the degree of interference in the communication environment in which the transmitting device 20 is located can be estimated, and the device itself can quickly adapt to the communication environment in which it is located based on the estimated degree of interference.

[0122] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the calculation unit 212 estimates the density of people around the device itself from the state information IC stored in the state storage unit 251, and calculates the communication parameters PM based on the estimated density of people. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the radio wave congestion state is estimated based on the density of people around the device itself, and the device can quickly adapt to the communication environment in which it is located based on the estimated congestion state.

[0123] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the status information IC is image information of the surroundings of the device itself, and the calculation unit 212 performs estimation based on the image information and calculates the communication parameters PM based on the estimation result. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the congestion state is estimated based on the image acquired by the camera, and the degree of congestion is estimated from the number of surrounding people, etc. According to this embodiment, the device itself can quickly adapt to the communication environment in which it is located based on the estimated degree of congestion.

[0124] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the status information IC is audio information collected around the device itself, and the calculation unit 212 performs estimation based on the audio information and calculates the communication parameters PM based on the estimation result. Therefore, according to this embodiment, by estimating the congestion status based on the audio information acquired by the microphone, it is possible to estimate the degree of congestion with low-load processing, reduce power consumption, and make the device more compact.

[0125] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the status information IC is information indicating the weather around the device, and the calculation unit 212 calculates communication parameters based on information stored in the internal status storage unit 242 and corresponding to the information indicating the weather indicated by the status information IC stored in the status storage unit 251. Therefore, according to the embodiment, even when the communication system 1 communicates using a communication method that is affected by the weather, the transmitting device 20 can adapt to the environment.

[0126] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the internal state storage unit 242 stores multiple pieces of internal state information ISI, and the calculation unit 212 calculates communication parameters based on the internal state information ISI corresponding to the state information IC stored in the state storage unit 251 among the multiple pieces of internal state information ISI stored. That is, the calculation unit 212 determines the communication parameters PM by referring to the internal state information ISI corresponding to the state information IC. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the state information IC can be easily utilized through simple processing.

[0127] [Second embodiment] Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8 to Fig. 12. A communication system 1A in the second embodiment includes a plurality of transmitting devices 20A. The transmitting devices 20A differ from the transmitting device 20 in that information communication is performed between the plurality of transmitting devices 20A. In the following description, information communication between the transmitting devices 20A is also referred to as "succession."

[0128] First, the premise of the second embodiment will be described. The transmission device 20A according to the second embodiment is assumed to operate in a location where a stable external power source is not available. When operating in a location where a stable external power source is not available, the transmission device 20A will no longer be able to continue its operation when the battery life expires, and will remain in an inoperable state until the battery is charged or replaced.

[0129] Furthermore, the battery of the transmitting device 20A may not be rechargeable and may be disposable. If the battery of the transmitting device 20A is disposable, the transmitting device 20A is discarded when the battery life expires. However, the sensing information obtained by the transmitting device 20A is important, and if interruption of data transmission is undesirable, an inoperable state may become a problem. In such a case, the transmitting device 20A passes on its functions to another transmitting device 20A that is on standby in the vicinity of the transmitting device 20A.

[0130] 8 is a diagram for explaining an example of the configuration of a communication system according to the second embodiment. With reference to the same figure, "inheritance" in the second embodiment will be explained. As an example of the transmitting device 20A, the communication system 1A includes a transmitting device 20A-1, a transmitting device 20A-2, and a transmitting device 20A-3. The transmitting device 20A-1 transmits the inheritance information II to the transmitting device 20A-2. The transmitting device 20A-2 transmits the inheritance information II to the transmitting device 20A-3. That is, the transmitting device 20A-1 inherits the inheritance information to the transmitting device 20A-2, and the transmitting device 20A-2 inherits the inheritance information to the transmitting device 20A-3.

[0131] Here, the inheritance information II is, for example, information including the results of learning by the transmitting device 20A. That is, according to this embodiment, the information learned by the transmitting device 20A-1 is inherited by the transmitting device 20A-2. Therefore, according to this embodiment, even if the transmitting device 20A-1 becomes unusable due to the end of its product life or a malfunction, the learned information can be continuously utilized by replacing the transmitting device 20A-1 with the transmitting device 20A-2. Similarly, even if the transmitting device 20A-2 becomes unusable due to the end of its product life or a malfunction, the learned information can be continuously utilized by replacing the transmitting device 20A-2 with the transmitting device 20A-3.

[0132] 9 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a transmission device according to the second embodiment. An example of the functional configuration of the transmission device 20A will be described with reference to the same figure. In the description of the transmission device 20A, components similar to those of the transmission device 20 are denoted by similar reference numerals, and description thereof may be omitted. The transmission device 20A differs from the transmission device 20 in that it further includes a succession control unit 240.

[0133] The inheritance control unit 240 includes an internal state acquisition unit 241 and an internal state output unit 244. The inheritance control unit 240 controls the inheritance of internal state information ISI between the transmission devices 20A. 9, an example of the transmitting device 20A-1 will be described. The transmitting device 20A-1 inherits internal state information ISI from the transmitting device 20A-2, and inherits the internal state information ISI to the transmitting device 20A-3. In the following description, the transmitting device 20A-2 will also be referred to as the first device, and the transmitting device 20A-3 will also be referred to as the second device.

[0134] The internal state acquisition unit 241 acquires internal state information ISI indicating the internal state of a first device from a transmitting device (first device) 20A-2 that is a device separate from itself. The internal state acquisition unit 241 stores the acquired internal state information ISI in the internal state storage unit 242. That is, the internal state storage unit 242 stores the internal state information ISI acquired by the internal state acquisition unit 241. Here, a device separate from itself refers to an independent device that communicates with another device. Therefore, even if a separate device has the same specifications, it is still a separate device from itself.

[0135] The calculation unit 212 performs processing based on the internal state information ISI stored in the internal state storage unit 242. The processing based on the internal state information ISI may be, for example, processing to calculate communication parameters PM for performing information communication based on the internal state information ISI. As a result of performing the processing, the calculation unit 212 updates the internal state information ISI stored in the internal state storage unit 242. In other words, the internal state information ISI stored in the internal state storage unit 242 is updated based on the processing performed by the calculation unit 212.

[0136] The internal state output unit 244 outputs, at a predetermined succession timing, the internal state information ISI stored in the internal state storage unit 242. Specifically, the internal state output unit 244 outputs the internal state information ISI to a transmission device (second device) 20A-3, which is a device separate from the transmission device (first device) 20A-2.

[0137] At the time of inheritance, some functions of the inheriting device may be in a dormant state. The dormant functions may be, for example, functions that are not involved in the inherited function, such as the calculation unit 212. In other words, at the time the internal state acquisition unit 241 acquires the internal state information ISI, the calculation unit 212 is in a dormant state, and the internal state acquisition unit 241 and the internal state output unit 244 are not in a dormant state.

[0138] [First Modification of the Second Embodiment] 10 is a block diagram showing a first modified example of the functional configuration of the transmission device according to the second embodiment. The first modified example of the transmission device 20A will be described with reference to the same figure. The first modified example of the transmission device 20A differs from the above-described transmission device 20A in that it includes an inheritance timing information acquisition unit 245.

[0139] The inheritance timing information acquisition unit 245 acquires inheritance timing information IT. The inheritance timing information IT includes information related to the inheritance timing, which is the timing that triggers inheritance. The internal state output unit 244 outputs internal state information ISI based on the information related to the inheritance timing included in the acquired inheritance timing information IT.

[0140] For example, the inheritance timing information acquisition unit 245 may acquire, as the inheritance timing information IT, information about the remaining battery level of the battery 60, which is the power source that drives the device itself. The information about the remaining battery level of the battery 60 may be the power supply voltage. The internal state output unit outputs the internal state information ISI when the remaining battery charge of the battery 60 included in the acquired inheritance timing information IT falls below a predetermined threshold. If the information on the remaining battery charge of the battery 60 is the power supply voltage, the internal state output unit outputs the internal state information ISI when the power supply voltage falls below a predetermined threshold.

[0141] The transmission device 20A may perform inheritance based on a predetermined cycle, in which case the inheritance timing information IT may include information about the predetermined cycle. The internal state output unit outputs the internal state information at a predetermined cycle included in the acquired inheritance timing information.

[0142] [Second Modification of the Second Embodiment] 11 is a block diagram showing a second modified example of the functional configuration of the transmission device according to the second embodiment. The second modified example of the transmission device 20A will be described with reference to the same figure. The second modified example of the transmission device 20A differs from the first modified example of the transmission device 20A described above in that it includes a failure determination unit 246.

[0143] The failure determination unit 246 determines whether or not its own device is in a failure state. The failure determination unit 246 outputs information relating to whether or not its own device is in a failure state to the inheritance timing information acquisition unit 245. The inheritance timing information acquisition unit 245 acquires the result of the determination by the failure determination unit 246 as inheritance timing information IT. The internal state output unit 244 outputs internal state information ISI when its own device is in a failure state.

[0144] The failure determination unit 246 may be a watchdog timer (WDT) controlled by the calculation unit 212 or the like.

[0145] 12 is a diagram for explaining the inheritance between transmission devices according to the second embodiment. With reference to the same figure, the inheritance between transmission devices 20A will be explained. In the example shown in the same figure, the transmission device 20A is a sensor node that constitutes a wireless sensor network. The transmission device 20A may also be referred to as a sensor node.

[0146] 12 shows six transmitting devices 20A, from transmitting device 20A-1 to transmitting device 20A-6. Transmitting device 20A-1 is unavailable due to its lifespan, and transmitting device 20A-2 is unavailable due to a malfunction. Transmitting devices 20A-3 and 20A-4 are in operation, and transmitting devices 20A-5 and 20A-4 are in standby (hiatus) state. Here, the transmitting device 20A-3 inherits the internal state information ISI when the transmitting device 20A-1 becomes unable to continue use due to its lifespan, and the transmitting device 20A-4 inherits the internal state information ISI when the transmitting device 20A-2 stops operating due to a failure.

[0147] Here, when sensor nodes are installed in multiple locations over a wide area, it may not be necessary to operate all sensor nodes simultaneously. Therefore, in the example shown in Fig. 12, the transmitting devices 20A-3 and 20A-4 are in an operating state, and the transmitting devices 20A-5 and 20A-6 are in a standby state. In this case, the standby transmitting devices 20A-5 and 20A-6 are in a dormant state and stand by, playing the role of spare sensor nodes.

[0148] When one of the sensor nodes becomes inoperable, that sensor node (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the inheritor node) inherits the sensor node functions to another sensor node (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the inheritor node) as internal state information ISI. At this time, the inheritor node becomes operational through the inheritance, and its sensor functions, communication functions, etc. become active.

[0149] It is important for the successor node to collect sensor information in an environment similar to that of the source node. Therefore, in order to inherit the functions of a sensor node, the successor node should naturally be located near the source node. In other words, the source node and the successor node operate in a similar communication environment. A similar communication environment means, for example, that they are installed close to each other or use the same communication network. According to this embodiment, since the information accumulated as a sensor node is inherited, there is no need to start new learning from scratch due to the loss of learned information. In other words, since the learned information can be shared between the inheritance source node and the inheritance destination node, it can adapt to the communication environment immediately after inheritance.

[0150] Here, the timing of succession will be described. In the example described with reference to Fig. 12, the transmission device 20A-1 takes over when it becomes unusable due to its lifespan, and the transmission device 20A-2 takes over when it becomes unusable due to a malfunction. However, the timing of succession is not limited to this example, and the succession may be performed, for example, before it is determined that the device will become unusable. When inheritance is performed before it is determined that the device will become unusable, the latest information may be inherited by multiple inheritances between the same inheritance source node and inheritance destination node. Multiple inheritances are equivalent to periodically backing up the internal state information ISI. Therefore, by performing periodic backups, it is possible to prevent the internal state information ISI from being unexpectedly lost.

[0151] Furthermore, in actual use of a sensor network, there may be cases where it is necessary to increase the number of active nodes on demand. In such cases, inheritance may also be performed.

[0152] Next, the successor node will be described. In the example described with reference to Fig. 12, the transmitting device 20A-1 inherits to the transmitting device 20A-3, and the transmitting device 20A-2 inherits to the transmitting device 20A-4. However, the successor node is not limited to the example of a single device as in these examples, and succession may be performed by multiple successor nodes.

[0153] Furthermore, any communication function may be used for the inheritance, such as via the communication function of the internal state output unit 244, via the communication function of the wireless communication unit 22, or via any other communication function. Communication for the inheritance may be wireless or wired.

[0154] [Summary of the second embodiment] According to the embodiment described above, the transmitting device 20A is provided with an internal state acquisition unit 241 to acquire internal state information ISI from a device separate from itself, an internal state memory unit 242 to store the acquired internal state information ISI, an arithmetic unit 212 to perform processing based on the stored internal state information ISI, and an internal state output unit 244 to output the internal state information ISI at a predetermined inheritance timing. Therefore, according to this embodiment, even if the transmitting device 20A unintentionally becomes inoperable, the internal state information ISI can be inherited by the next generation. Therefore, according to this embodiment, there is no need to learn from scratch, and the results learned by the previous generation can be used. Therefore, according to this embodiment, even when the transmission device 20A is replaced, it is possible to immediately start using the next generation transmission device 20A.

[0155] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, the internal state information ISI is updated based on the processing performed by the calculation unit 212. The calculation unit 212 calculates the communication parameters PM based on the internal state information ISI. That is, the internal state information ISI is updated based on the communication parameters PM. Therefore, the internal state information ISI is updated based on the result of signal communication in accordance with the environment in which the device itself is placed. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the internal state information ISI, which is updated based on the results of signal communication depending on the environment in which the device is placed, is inherited, so that the learned results can be passed on to the future.

[0156] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the calculation unit 212 includes a machine learning algorithm, and the internal state information ISI includes learned parameters learned by the machine learning algorithm. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to inherit learned parameters updated by an algorithm that uses machine learning, and to prevent the learned parameters from being lost when the device itself becomes inoperable unintentionally.

[0157] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the machine learning algorithm is a reinforcement learning algorithm, and the internal state information ISI includes an action value function used by the reinforcement learning algorithm. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to inherit the action value function updated by an algorithm using reinforcement learning, and it is possible to prevent the action value function from being lost when the device itself unintentionally becomes inoperable. Therefore, the transmission device 20A, which is the inheritance node, can resume processing in a state where reinforcement learning has progressed.

[0158] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the calculation unit 212 calculates communication parameters PM for performing information communication based on the internal state information ISI. By including the wireless communication unit 22, the transmission device 20A performs information communication according to the communication parameters PM calculated by the calculation unit 212. Therefore, according to this embodiment, even if the transmission device 20A becomes inoperable for some reason, the learning results of the transmission device 20A can be inherited by another device. Therefore, the transmission device 20A, which is the inheritance node, can resume processing in a state adapted to the communication environment.

[0159] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the transmitting device 20A is provided with the inheritance timing information acquisition unit 245, thereby acquiring inheritance timing information IT including information related to the inheritance timing. Furthermore, the internal state output unit 244 outputs internal state information based on the information related to the inheritance timing included in the acquired inheritance timing information IT. Therefore, the transmitting device 20A can output internal state information ISI at an appropriate inheritance timing.

[0160] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the inheritance timing information acquisition unit 245 acquires, as inheritance timing information IS, information regarding the remaining charge of the battery 60, which is the power source that drives the device itself. Furthermore, the internal state output unit 244 outputs internal state information ISI when the remaining charge of the battery 60 falls below a predetermined threshold. Therefore, the transmission device 20A can inherit the internal state information ISI to the next generation before its functions completely stop. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a situation in which inheritance itself becomes impossible due to insufficient remaining battery charge, such as when the transmission device 20A has only one battery.

[0161] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the transmitting device 20A is provided with a failure determination unit 246, thereby determining whether or not the device itself is in a failure state. Furthermore, the inheritance timing information acquisition unit 245 acquires the result of the determination by the failure determination unit 246 as inheritance timing information IT, and the internal state output unit 244 outputs internal state information ISI when the device itself is in a failure state. Therefore, the transmitting device 20A can perform inheritance when it becomes impossible to continue processing. In other words, the transmitting device 20A can inherit its internal state to the next generation when its function stops. In other words, the transmitting device 20A can perform inheritance when it is determined that it becomes impossible to continue processing even for reasons other than a power outage.

[0162] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the inheritance timing information IT includes information related to a predetermined cycle, and the internal state output unit 244 outputs the internal state information ISI at the predetermined cycle included in the acquired inheritance timing information IT. Therefore, by periodically outputting the internal state information ISI to the inheritance destination node, the transmitting device 20A, which is the inheritance source node, can resume processing based on the internal state information ISI that has already been inherited, even if the node falls into a situation where inheritance is not possible.

[0163] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, at the time when the internal state acquisition unit 241 acquires the internal state information ISI, the calculation unit 212 is in a dormant state, and the internal state acquisition unit 241 and the internal state output unit 244 are not in a dormant state. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, by putting the transmission device 20A, which is the successor node, into a dormant state, it is possible to install some of the sensor nodes constituting the sensor network as a standby device without consuming power, and when an operating device stops functioning, the standby device can take over the function.

[0164] [Third embodiment] Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 13 to Fig. 17. A communication system 1B in the third embodiment differs from the communication system 1A in that it includes a transmission device 20B instead of the transmission device 20A. Furthermore, the communication system 1B includes a relay device 40 in addition to the transmission device 20B. The transmission device 20B differs from the transmission device 20A in that, instead of or in addition to the communication system 1A performing inheritance between the transmission devices 20A, the transmission device 20B performs inheritance to the relay device 40 and inheritance is performed from the relay device 40. In the description of the transmission device 20B, components similar to those of the transmission device 20A are denoted by similar reference numerals, and description thereof may be omitted.

[0165] 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a communication system according to the second embodiment. A transmitting device 20B will be described with reference to the same figure. The transmitting device 20B according to the third embodiment is connected to a relay device 40 directly or via a predetermined network. The predetermined network may be a cloud system. The transmission device 20B transmits the inheritance information II to the relay device 40 and acquires the inheritance information II from the relay device 40. The inheritance information II may include the internal state information ISI.

[0166] When the relay device 40 acquires the inheritance information II from the transmission device 20B, the relay device 40 stores the internal state information ISI included in the acquired inheritance information II in a storage unit. The relay device 40 outputs the inheritance information II to the transmission device 20B at a predetermined inheritance timing or when the transmission device 20B becomes inoperable. That is, the relay device 40 stores the internal state information ISI of the transmitting device 20B, and if the transmitting device 20B becomes inoperable for some reason and inheritance cannot be performed, the internal state information ISI of the inheritance source node held by the relay device 40 can be inherited by a new inheritance destination node. As a result, the inheritance destination node can continue processing after inheriting the internal state information ISI of the inheritance source node, rather than starting from a completely initial state.

[0167] Furthermore, if the transmitting device 20B is a sensor node that constitutes a sensor network, the sensor node may periodically transmit its internal state to other sensor nodes to replicate the internal state. For example, the internal state may be periodically transmitted to other sensor nodes, and even if it becomes impossible to carry out the inheritance for some reason, the replicated internal state may be able to be taken over.

[0168] Specifically, the sensor node to be replicated may be, for example, a sensor node that will become a successor in the future. In this case, the sensor node that will become a successor is in a dormant state, but retains only the internal state of the source node. When the source node becomes inoperable, the sensor node that will become a successor in the future starts up and starts operating from the point of the replicated internal state. Replication may be performed via a relay device 40.

[0169] In addition, the relay device 40 itself may store the replicated internal state information ISI. If the source sensor node becomes inoperable, the relay device 40 will take over for the sensor node that will become the future successor. The future successor sensor node will start operating based on the internal state information ISI inherited from the relay device 40. This configuration allows the successor node to be used immediately and also reduces standby power consumption.

[0170] 14 is a diagram for explaining succession in the case where a relay device according to the third embodiment is used as a relay device, and an example of succession in the case where a relay device 40 is used as a relay device will be described with reference to the same drawing. In the example shown in the figure, transmitting device 20B-1, transmitting device 20B-2, and transmitting device 20B-3 each perform inheritance via relay device 40. Transmitting device 20B-1 is in an unusable state due to its lifespan or other reasons. Transmitting device 20B-2 is in an operating state, and transmitting device 20B-3 is in a standby state (dormant state). Here, when transmitting device 20B-1 can no longer be used continuously due to its lifespan or other reasons, transmitting device 20B-2 inherits internal state information ISI from relay device 40. Furthermore, transmitting device 20B-3 is in a standby state, but is a candidate for next inheritance, so it inherits internal state information ISI of transmitting device 20B-2 via relay device 40.

[0171] 15 is a diagram for explaining proxy succession in the case where a relay device according to the third embodiment is used as a relay. Proxy succession will be explained with reference to the same figure. In one example that will be explained with reference to the same figure, transmission device 20B is a sensor node that constitutes a sensor network. The sensor nodes periodically send liveness confirmation communications to the relay device 40. By receiving the liveness confirmation communications from the sensor nodes periodically, the relay device 40 can grasp the operating status of the sensor nodes that make up the sensor network.

[0172] Specifically, communication system 1B, which is a sensor network, includes transmitting devices 20B-1 to 20B-5 and relay device 40. Transmitting device 20B-1 is unavailable due to its lifespan, and transmitting device 20B-2 is unavailable due to a malfunction. Transmitting device 20B-3 is in an operating state, and transmitting devices 20B-4 and 20B-5 are in a standby state (inactive state). Here, when the transmitting device 20B-1 reaches the end of its life and can no longer be used continuously, the transmitting device 20B-2 inherits the internal state information ISI via the relay device 40. However, since the transmitting device 20B-2 stopped operating due to a malfunction before the inheritance, the internal state information ISI cannot be inherited by the next generation.

[0173] Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the relay device 40 performs proxy inheritance for the transmitting device 20B-3 instead of the transmitting device 20B-2. By configuring in this manner, it is possible to prevent the internal state information ISI inherited from the transmitting device 20B-1 from being lost.

[0174] In this embodiment, the relay device 40 is able to grasp the operational status of the sensor nodes that make up the sensor network, and can therefore take over as a proxy for a sensor node that has become inoperable due to a malfunction or other reason. For example, if the survival confirmation communication from the sensor node is interrupted, the relay device 40 determines that the sensor node has become inoperable, and causes another sensor node to take over.

[0175] 16 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a relay device according to the third embodiment, which will be described with reference to the drawing. A communication system 1B according to the third embodiment includes a plurality of transmission devices 20B and a relay device 40. Specifically, the transmission devices 20B include a transmission device 20B-1 and a transmission device 20B-2. The relay device 40 transmits and receives internal state information ISI to and from one or more transmission devices 20 B. Specifically, the relay device 40 acquires internal state information ISI from the transmission device 20 B-1, stores the acquired internal state information ISI, and outputs the stored internal state information ISI to the transmission device 20 B-2.

[0176] The relay device 40 includes a relay information acquisition unit 401 , a relay information storage unit 402 , and a relay information output unit 403 . The relay information acquisition unit 401 acquires, as relay information, the internal state information ISI output by the transmission device 20B. The relay information storage unit 402 stores the relay information acquired by the relay information acquisition unit 401. The relay information output unit 403 outputs the relay information stored in the relay information storage unit 402 to the transmission device 20B as the internal state information ISI.

[0177] In addition, if the relay device 40 is configured to transfer the status to another sensor node when the survival confirmation communication from the sensor node is interrupted, the internal state output unit 244 included in the transmission device 20B outputs internal state information ISI to the relay device 40 based on a predetermined cycle. Also, the relay information output unit 403 included in the relay device 40 outputs relay information to the transmission device 20B, which is the successor node, when the relay information acquisition unit 401 has not been able to acquire internal state information ISI from the transmission device 20B for a predetermined period of time or more.

[0178] 17 is a block diagram showing a modified example of the functional configuration of the relay device according to the third embodiment. The modified example of the relay device 40 will be described with reference to the same figure. In this embodiment, the relay device 40 stores the internal states of multiple transmission devices 20B in the relay device 40. The internal states stored in the relay device 40 are integrated and processed, and are used when being passed on to other transmission devices 20B.

[0179] In this embodiment, the relay device 40 includes a shared relay information generating unit 404 . The shared relay information generating unit 404 generates the shared relay information based on the relay information acquired from the plurality of transmitting devices 20B. In this case, the relay information storing unit 402 stores the shared relay information as the relay information. Furthermore, the relay information output unit 403 outputs the shared relay information as the relay information. The shared relay information generating unit 404 may generate the shared relay information, for example, when the relay information acquiring unit 401 acquires the relay information. That is, the shared relay information may be generated when the inheritance process is performed.

[0180] In this embodiment, the relay device 40 can contribute to the early adoption of other transmission devices 20B by integrating the internal states of multiple transmission devices 20B. For example, the configuration of this embodiment is effective when the sensor network is widespread and the sensor nodes are scattered over a wide area. The transmission device 20B outputs the self-learned content linked to the environmental information and internal state of each sensor node to the relay device 40 at the time of inheritance.

[0181] In this case, the currently operating sensor node A and the newly installed sensor node B are assumed to be installed in similar environments, although they are located apart. Sensor node B inherits the information learned by sensor node A via relay device 40. Sensor node B knows that it is in a similar environment to sensor node A from the measurements taken by its onboard sensors, so it can preferentially adopt the internal state of sensor node A from the inherited internal states and quickly adapt to the environment in which sensor node B is located. When a network can be constructed with multiple sensor nodes, especially a large-scale network, sharing internal states by accumulating such shared relay information is an effective means.

[0182] [Summary of the third embodiment] According to the embodiment described above, the communication system 1B includes a plurality of transmitting devices 20B and a relay device 40. The relay device 40 includes a relay information acquisition unit 401 to acquire internal state information ISI from the transmitting devices 20B, a relay information storage unit 402 to store the acquired internal state information ISI, and a relay information output unit 403 to output the stored internal state information ISI to the transmitting devices 20B. Therefore, according to the communication system 1B of this embodiment, the transmitting devices 20B can take over via the relay device 40. According to this embodiment, inheritance can be achieved via the relay device 40, so that even if inheritance cannot be achieved between the transmitting devices 20B, the learned results can be prevented from being lost.

[0183] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, since the inheritance can be achieved via the relay device 40, the relay device 40 can monitor the remaining battery level and abnormalities of each transmitting device 20B, and the appropriate timing of the inheritance can be controlled.

[0184] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, internal state output unit 244 included in transmission device 20B outputs internal state information ISI to the relay device based on a predetermined cycle, and relay information output unit 403 included in relay device 40 outputs relay information when relay information acquisition unit 401 has not acquired internal state information ISI from communication device 20B for a predetermined period or longer. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, relay device 40 can inherit internal state information ISI to the next generation even when the function is stopped by performing inheritance when it can no longer continue to function due to power interruption or the like of transmission device 20B.

[0185] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the relay device 40 generates shared relay information based on relay information acquired from multiple transmission devices 20B by using the shared relay information generator 404. Therefore, according to this embodiment, by integrating or processing the internal states acquired from multiple transmission devices 20B, the newly succeeding transmission device 20B can quickly learn.

[0186] According to the embodiment described above, the shared relay information is generated when the relay information acquisition unit 401 acquires the relay information. That is, the shared relay information is generated when the inheritance process is performed. Therefore, according to the embodiment, the internal state is stored at the time of inheritance, so that the internal state can be stored in the relay device 40 without generating unnecessary communication processes.

[0187] Furthermore, the first and second embodiments described above can be used in combination. For example, in the transmitting device 20 according to the first embodiment, the internal state storage unit 242 may store the acquired internal state information ISI. In this case, the transmitting device 20 further includes an internal state acquisition unit, thereby acquiring information indicating the internal state of a transmitting device 20 other than itself as internal state information ISI. The calculation unit 212 calculates communication parameters PM based on the internal state information ISI stored in the internal state storage unit 242.

[0188] That is, the transmitting device 20 according to the first embodiment can also inherit the internal state from another transmitting device 20. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, by preparing a spare transmitting device 20, even when one transmitting device 20 falls into an inoperable state, the function can be inherited from the spare transmitting device 20, thereby improving the reliability of the communication system 1 as a whole.

[0189] Furthermore, the transmitting device 20 according to the first embodiment may further include an internal state output unit, and thereby output the internal state information ISI stored in the internal state storage unit 242 at a predetermined inheritance timing. That is, according to the present embodiment, by preparing a spare transmitting device 20, even when one transmitting device 20 falls into an inoperable state, the function can be inherited by the spare transmitting device 20, thereby improving the reliability of the communication system 1 as a whole.

[0190] The communication system 1 according to the first embodiment may also include a relay device 40. The relay device 40 transmits and receives internal state information ISI to and from one or more transmission devices 20. The relay device 40 also includes a relay information acquisition unit 401 to acquire the internal state information ISI as relay information, a relay information storage unit 402 to store the acquired relay information, and a relay information output unit 403 to output the stored relay information as internal state information ISI. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the transmission device 20 can inherit the relay information via the relay device 40.

[0191] Furthermore, in the communication system 1 according to the first embodiment, the relay device 40 may also include a shared relay information generation unit 404. The shared relay information generation unit 404 generates shared relay information based on relay information acquired from a plurality of transmission devices 20. The relay information storage unit 402 stores the shared relay information as relay information, and the relay information output unit 403 outputs the shared relay information as relay information. Therefore, according to this embodiment, by integrating or processing the internal states acquired from a plurality of transmission devices 20, the newly succeeding transmission device 20 can quickly learn.

[0192] Furthermore, the transmitting device 20A according to the second embodiment may further include a state storage unit 251 to store state information IC. In this case, the internal state storage unit 242 associates information used in calculating the communication parameters PM with the state information IC and stores the information as internal state information ISI. Furthermore, the calculation unit 212 calculates the communication parameters PM based on the state information IC stored in the state storage unit 251 and the internal state information ISI stored in the internal state storage unit 242. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the communication parameters PM are determined based on the state information IC, allowing for early adaptation to the communication environment.

[0193] Furthermore, in the transmitting device 20A according to the second embodiment, the state storage unit 251 stores a plurality of pieces of state information IC acquired at a plurality of instants, and the calculation unit 212 determines the communication parameters PM based on the plurality of stored pieces of state information IC. Therefore, according to this embodiment, not only the current state but also past states can be stored and utilized. Therefore, according to this embodiment, more suitable communication parameters PM can be determined.

[0194] While an example of the case where the transmitting device 20, the receiving device 30, and the relay device 40 communicate information via wireless communication has been described above, this embodiment is not limited to the example of wireless communication. The transmitting device 20, the receiving device 30, and the relay device 40 may communicate information via wired communication. When the transmitting device 20, the receiving device 30, and the relay device 40 communicate information via wired communication, the communication parameters may include a communication interval, a transmission power, and, if the communication is multiplexed, the channel. In this case, information can be transmitted with minimal power consumption while avoiding interference from other devices connected via the same line. Examples of wired communication include one-to-multiple and many-to-multiple wired communication methods such as bus connection, star connection, and mesh connection. More specifically, communication methods such as the Internet, I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit), SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface), and CAN (Controller Area Network) may be used.

[0195] Note that the functions of each device and each unit of the communication system 1 in the above-described embodiment, in whole or in part, may be realized by recording a program for realizing these functions on a computer-readable recording medium, and reading and executing the program recorded on the recording medium into a computer system. Note that the term "computer system" here includes hardware such as an OS and peripheral devices.

[0196] Furthermore, "computer-readable recording media" refers to portable media such as flexible disks, optical magnetic disks, ROMs, and CD-ROMs, as well as storage units such as hard disks built into computer systems. Furthermore, "computer-readable recording media" may also include devices that dynamically store programs for a short period of time, such as communication lines when transmitting programs over networks like the Internet or communication lines like telephone lines, or devices that store programs for a fixed period of time, such as volatile memory within computer systems that serve as servers or clients in such cases. Furthermore, the above-mentioned programs may be programs that realize some of the aforementioned functions, or may be programs that can realize the aforementioned functions in combination with programs already stored in the computer system.

[0197] Although an embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0198] 1...communication system, 10...communication device, 20...transmitting device, 30...receiving device, 21...controller, 211...communication history information storage unit, 212...calculating unit, 213...output unit, 215...storage control unit, 22...wireless communication unit, 221...antenna, 231...algorithm, 232...guideline information, 233...communication history information, 31...controller, 32...wireless communication unit, 321...antenna, 240...inheritance control unit, 241...internal state acquisition unit, 242...internal state storage unit, 243...processing unit, 244...internal state output unit, 245...inheritance timing information acquisition unit, 246...fault judgment unit, 40... relay device, 401... relay information acquisition unit, 402... relay information storage unit, 403... relay information output unit, 404... shared relay information generation unit, 251... status storage unit, 252... status information acquisition unit, 50... status information acquisition device, 60... battery, IS... transmission information, IR... reception information, IH... communication history information, IP... parameter information, ISI... internal status information, ID... deterioration information, II... inheritance information, IC... status information, IT... inheritance timing information, PM... communication parameter, D... deterioration rate, SI1... first transmission interval, SI2... second transmission interval, ST... number of transmissions

Claims

1. a state storage unit that stores state information, which is information acquired at a specific moment, among information that changes depending on at least one of the location of the device itself and the time; an internal state storage unit that associates information used in calculating communication parameters used when performing information communication with the state information and stores the information as internal state information; a calculation unit that calculates the communication parameters based on the state information stored in the state storage unit and the internal state information stored in the internal state storage unit; an output unit that outputs the calculated communication parameters; Equipped with the calculation unit estimates a radio wave congestion state around the device from the state information stored in the state storage unit, and calculates the communication parameters based on the estimated congestion state. Communication equipment.

2. A state storage unit that stores state information, which is information acquired at a specific moment, among information that changes depending on at least one of the location of the device itself and the time; an internal state storage unit that associates information used in calculating communication parameters used when performing information communication with the state information and stores the information as internal state information; a calculation unit that calculates the communication parameters based on the state information stored in the state storage unit and the internal state information stored in the internal state storage unit; an output unit that outputs the calculated communication parameters; Equipped with the calculation unit estimates a density of people around the device from the state information stored in the state storage unit, and calculates the communication parameters based on the estimated density of people. Communication equipment.

3. The status information is audio information collected around the device itself, the calculation unit performs estimation based on the voice information, and calculates the communication parameters based on the estimation result. The communication device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A state storage unit that stores state information, which is information acquired at a specific moment, among information that changes depending on at least one of the location of the device itself and the time; an internal state storage unit that associates information used in calculating communication parameters used when performing information communication with the state information and stores the information as internal state information; a calculation unit that calculates the communication parameters based on the state information stored in the state storage unit and the internal state information stored in the internal state storage unit; an output unit that outputs the calculated communication parameters; Equipped with an internal state acquisition unit that acquires information indicating an internal state of a device other than itself as the internal state information; the internal state storage unit stores the acquired internal state information; the calculation unit calculates the communication parameters based on the internal state information stored in the internal state storage unit. Communication equipment.

5. The system further comprises an internal state output unit that outputs the internal state information stored in the internal state storage unit at a predetermined inheritance timing. The communication device according to claim 4.

6. A relay device comprising the communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and one or more of the communication devices for transmitting and receiving the internal state information therebetween; The relay device a relay information acquisition unit that acquires the internal state information output by the communication device as relay information; a relay information storage unit that stores the acquired relay information; a relay information output unit that outputs the stored relay information to the communication device as the internal state information. Communication system.

7. The relay device further includes a shared relay information generation unit that generates shared relay information based on the relay information acquired from the plurality of communication devices; the relay information storage unit stores the shared relay information as the relay information; The relay information output unit outputs the shared relay information as the relay information.

7. The communication system according to claim 6.

8. A state storage step of storing state information, which is information acquired at a specific moment, among information that changes depending on at least one of the position of the device itself and the time; an internal state storage step of storing information used in calculating communication parameters used when performing information communication and the state information in association with each other as internal state information; a calculation step of calculating the communication parameters based on the state information stored in the state storage step and the internal state information stored in the internal state storage step; an output step of outputting the calculated communication parameters; and the computing step estimates a radio wave congestion state around the device from the state information stored in the state storage step, and computes the communication parameters based on the estimated congestion state. Communication method.

Images