Communication terminal, wireless communication system, communication method, and program

Abstract

To provide a communication terminal, a wireless communication system, a communication method, and a program that contribute to suppressing power consumption in an environment where the effect of improving communication speed cannot be sufficiently obtained when another communication method is employed in addition to one communication method.SOLUTION: A communication terminal includes: a communication unit that performs communication by adding or deleting a communication route using another communication method different from one communication method during communication using the one communication method; an estimation unit that estimates a communication environment in the communication unit; and a control unit that performs control for adding or deleting the communication route using the other communication method in the communication unit based on an estimation result of the estimation unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] As a method for improving wireless communication speeds, 5G, a new radio access technology, has been developed to replace the currently used 4G. Furthermore, in preparation for the commercial deployment of 5G, several methods for combining existing 4G and 5G networks have been defined in 3GPP TR 38.801 V14.0.0, which will be used until the 5G network environment is fully established. Among the methods for combining 4G and 5G networks, the most commonly adopted is the non-standalone (NSA) method, which uses the control functions of the existing 4G network for the control plane (control signals) and the 5G network is responsible for the user plane (user data signals).

[0003] By adopting the NSA method, communication can be carried out using the existing 4G network, while adding a 5G network within the 5G network area, thereby achieving improved communication speeds without communication interruptions.

[0004] However, when using the NSA method, there was a problem in that extra power consumption was generated because the radio circuits for the 5G network operated even in environments where the effect of improving communication speeds by adding a 5G network could not be fully achieved, such as at the edge of the 5G network area. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2017 / 022043 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The disclosures of the above prior art documents are incorporated herein by reference. The following analysis has been carried out by the present inventors.

[0007] For example, when the NSA method is used, the radio circuit for the 5G network may operate even in an environment where the effect of improving communication speed by adding a 5G network cannot be fully obtained, such as at the edge of a 5G network area. In order to solve the above problem, a solution such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1 has been proposed.

[0008] The invention of Patent Document 1 proposes a communication system equipped with a radio access network including multiple radio access technologies (RATs) to enable the use of multiple RATs suited to each service or purpose.

[0009] It has a first RAT for initial access by the terminal and at least one individual RAT different from the first RAT, and by switching the RAT depending on the service provided to the terminal, it provides functions required for the service and application used, such as power saving and low latency.

[0010] However, because the RAT is switched depending on the service provided to the terminal, the problem remains that the radio circuits for the 5G network will operate even in environments where the benefits of improving communication speeds by adding a 5G network cannot be fully realized, such as at the edge of a 5G network area.

[0011] Therefore, there is a problem in that it is impossible to apply the solution of Patent Document 1 and stop the power supply to the radio circuit for the 5G network to reduce power consumption in an environment where the effect of improving communication speed by adding a 5G network cannot be fully obtained.

[0012] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a communication terminal, a wireless communication system, a communication method, and a program that contribute to reducing power consumption in an environment where the effect of improving communication speed cannot be fully obtained when adopting another communication method in addition to one communication method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] According to a first aspect of the present invention and disclosure, there is provided a communication terminal having a communication unit that, during communication using one communication method, adds or deletes a communication path using another communication method different from the one communication method, an estimation unit that estimates the communication environment in the communication unit, and a control unit that performs control to add or delete a communication path using the other communication method in the communication unit based on the estimation result of the estimation unit.

[0014] According to a second aspect of the present invention and disclosure, there is provided a wireless communication system including a base station that communicates using one communication method, a base station that communicates using another communication method different from the one communication method, a communication unit that, during communication using the one communication method, adds or deletes a communication path using the other communication method to communicate, an estimation unit that estimates the communication environment in the communication unit, and a control unit that performs control to add or delete a communication path using the other communication method in the communication unit based on the estimation result of the estimation unit.

[0015] According to a third aspect of the present invention and disclosure, there is provided a communication method including the steps of: a communication terminal performing communication by adding or deleting a communication path by another communication method different from one communication method during communication by the one communication method; a step of the communication terminal estimating a communication environment; and a step of the communication terminal performing control to add or delete a communication path by the other communication method based on an estimation result in the step of estimating the communication environment.

[0016] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention and disclosure, there is provided a program for causing a computer to execute the following processes: a process for adding or deleting a communication path by another communication method different from one communication method during communication by the one communication method; a process for estimating a communication environment; and a process for performing control to add or delete a communication path by the other communication method based on the estimation result of the process for estimating the communication environment. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to each aspect of the present invention and disclosure, the present invention provides a communication terminal, a wireless communication system, a communication method, and a program that contribute to reducing power consumption in an environment where the effect of improving communication speed, etc. cannot be fully obtained when adopting another communication method in addition to one communication method. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a communication terminal according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 6 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation of the communication terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a hardware configuration of a communication terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a wireless communication system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the wireless communication system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a wireless communication system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation of the wireless communication system according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] First, an overview of one embodiment will be described. Note that the reference numerals in the drawings attached to each element in this overview are added for convenience as an example to facilitate understanding, and the description of this overview is not intended to be limiting in any way. Furthermore, the connection lines between blocks in each figure include both bidirectional and unidirectional. Unidirectional arrows are used to schematically indicate the flow of the main signal (data) and do not exclude bidirectionality. Furthermore, although not explicitly shown in the circuit diagrams, block diagrams, internal configuration diagrams, connection diagrams, etc. shown in this disclosure, input ports and output ports exist at the input and output ends of each connection line. The same applies to input / output interfaces.

[0020] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a communication terminal according to an embodiment. As shown in this figure, a communication terminal 10 according to an embodiment includes a communication unit 11, an estimation unit 12, and a control unit 13.

[0021] The communication unit 11, during communication using one communication method, adds or deletes a communication path using another communication method different from the one communication method to perform communication. The estimation unit 12 estimates the communication environment in the communication unit 11. The control unit 13 performs control to add or delete a communication path using the other communication method in the communication unit 11 based on the estimation result of the estimation unit.

[0022] In one embodiment, the communication terminal can perform communication by adding a communication path by another communication method other than one communication method for the communication path currently in use in the communication unit 11 in response to control by the control unit 13. Furthermore, when the communication environment of the communication path by the other communication method deteriorates due to the operation of the estimation unit 12, the control unit 13 makes a determination based on the communication environment and deletes the communication path by the other communication method, thereby making it possible to continue communication using the communication path that was originally used for communication.

[0023] The communication terminal 10 in one embodiment is not limited to a wireless communication terminal but also includes a wired communication terminal. Therefore, one communication method and another communication method may be a wireless communication method or a wired communication method, or a combination of wired and wireless methods may be used.

[0024] The communication environment estimated by the estimation unit 12 includes not only those estimated based on real-time indicators such as radio wave strength and communication speed, but also those based on the transition of real-time indicators, and therefore includes secondary indicators such as the history of addition or deletion of communication paths related to other communication methods.

[0025] In this way, the communication terminal 10 of one embodiment employs the concept of the expanded communication environment as described above, and is able to select a communication method based on this concept, thereby enabling the execution of control that is optimized from various perspectives, such as power consumption and communication speed.

[0026] Specific embodiments will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the same components in each embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0027] [First embodiment] An example of the configuration of a communication terminal according to the first embodiment is the same as that shown in Fig. 1. As shown in this figure, a communication terminal 10 according to this embodiment includes a communication unit 11, an estimation unit 12, and a control unit 13.

[0028] During communication using one communication method, the communication unit 11 performs communication by adding or deleting a communication path using another communication method different from the one communication method. The "communication method" refers to, for example, 3G, 4G (LTE: Long Term Evolution), 5G, etc. as a type of wireless access technology (RAT). Furthermore, an access technology using a PON (Passive Optical Network) using optical fiber is included as a type of wired access technology. Furthermore, communication using IPv4 or IPv6 at higher layers is also considered a type of communication method.

[0029] The "communication path" is a path generated depending on the communication method, and may be connection-type or connectionless. Also, control signals and data signals may be transmitted via separate communication paths.

[0030] "Deleting" a communication path includes the process of disabling or deactivating an added and used logical communication path, making it temporarily unavailable. "Adding" a communication path includes the process of reactivating or activating a disabled or deactivated communication path.

[0031] The estimation unit 12 estimates the communication environment in the communication unit 11. The "communication environment" is, for example, an index estimated from measurement values ​​such as effective upload / download speed, signal strength, delay, packet loss, etc. The "estimation" refers to, for example, a process of calculation using a predetermined formula from multiple measurement values. As the result of the estimation, for example, the estimated value may be data indicated by a numerical value, a rank, etc., and may be data calculated in multiple dimensions, not just one dimension.

[0032] The estimation unit 12 of this embodiment may estimate the communication environment based on at least the number of times that a communication path has been repeatedly added or deleted within a predetermined period of time using the other communication method. That is, as described above, the estimation unit 12 may refer to the history of repeated additions or deletions of communication paths within a predetermined period of time and use the number of times as the "communication environment."

[0033] The control unit 13 performs control to add or delete a communication path by another communication method in the communication unit 11 based on the estimation result of the estimation unit 12. The control unit 13 receives the estimation result from the estimation unit 12, and adds or deletes a communication path by another communication method by evaluating and judging the estimation result. The evaluation and judgment of the estimation result may, for example, be a process of deleting a communication path of another communication method when the estimation result is less than rank 3 in a state where a communication path by another communication method has been added and the estimation result is output on a 5-level ranking, or a process of adding a communication path of another communication method when the estimation result is higher than rank 4 in a state where a communication path by another communication method has been deleted.

[0034] The control unit 13 maintains the deletion of the other communication method for a predetermined period of time when the communication environment of the other communication method satisfies a predetermined condition. The "predetermined condition" includes, for example, a condition in which the communication environment is output on a five-level ranking scale from A to E, and the addition and deletion of a communication path using the other communication method is repeated five times within 60 seconds, resulting in the estimation result by the estimation unit 12 being E, below quality D. The reason for "maintaining the deletion of the other communication method for a predetermined period of time" is to prevent an increase in power consumption due to the addition of a communication path using the other communication method in an environment where the communication environment is not good, since adding a communication path using the other communication method immediately after the communication environment improves may cause the communication environment to deteriorate again.

[0035] When the deletion of the communication path for the other communication method is maintained for a predetermined period of time, the control unit 13 may stop the supply of power to the communication circuit for the other communication method in the communication unit 11. For example, if the communication circuit that handles the communication path for the other communication method is modularized, power consumption can be effectively reduced by stopping the supply of power to the entire module.

[0036] The control unit 13 maintains the deletion of communication paths using other communication methods, acquires the estimation result of the communication environment by the estimation unit 12 after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, and determines whether to add a communication path using another communication method based on the estimation result, with the aim of determining whether the communication environment has become one in which improvement can be expected.

[0037] The determination of whether to delete or add a communication path by another communication method is made, for example, based on whether the estimation result is below or above a predetermined value, but the predetermined value for deleting a communication path by another communication method may be different from the predetermined value for adding a communication path by another communication method. That is, when deleting a communication path by another communication method, deletion is performed when the communication environment falls below 4 on a 10-point scale from 1 to 10, whereas when the estimation result by the estimation unit 12 is obtained again after a predetermined period has elapsed, the communication environment may need to be above 7 in order to add a communication path by another communication method again.

[0038] [Explanation of operation] An example of the operation of the communication terminal 10 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the communication terminal 10 according to the first embodiment.

[0039] As shown in this figure, when operation starts, the communication environment is estimated (step S21). Note that communication paths using other communication methods may be added by default when operation starts. Based on the estimation result, control is executed to add or delete communication paths using other communication methods (step S22). Thereafter, the number of times communication paths using other communication methods are added or deleted is counted (step S23).

[0040] Next, it is determined whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed (step S24). If the predetermined period of time has not yet elapsed (step S24: N), the process returns to the process of estimating the communication environment (step S21). If the predetermined period of time has elapsed (step S24: Y), it is determined whether the number of additions or deletions is equal to or greater than a predetermined number (step S25). If the number of additions or deletions has not reached the predetermined number or greater (step S25: N), the process returns to the process of estimating the communication environment (step S21).

[0041] If the number of additions or deletions is equal to or greater than a predetermined number (step S25: Y), the communication path using the other communication method is deleted, and the count of the number of additions or deletions is initialized (step S26).The process waits until a predetermined period of time has elapsed in the deleted state (step S27), and after the period has elapsed (step S27: Y), the process returns to the process of estimating the communication environment again (step S21).

[0042] [Hardware configuration] The communication terminal 10 of this embodiment can be configured by an information processing device (computer) and has the configuration exemplified in Fig. 3. For example, the communication terminal 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 31, a memory 32, an input / output interface 33, and a communication module 34 serving as communication means, which are interconnected by an internal bus 35.

[0043] However, the configuration shown in Fig. 3 is not intended to limit the hardware configuration of the communication terminal 10. The communication terminal 10 may include hardware not shown, and may not include the input / output interface 33 as necessary. Furthermore, the number of CPUs and the like included in the communication terminal 10 is not intended to be limited to the example shown in Fig. 3, and for example, the communication terminal 10 may include multiple CPUs.

[0044] The memory 32 is a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), or an auxiliary storage device (such as a hard disk).

[0045] The input / output interface 33 is a means for interfacing with a display device and an input device (not shown). The display device is, for example, a liquid crystal display. The input device is, for example, a device that accepts user operations, such as a touch panel, keyboard, or mouse.

[0046] The functions of the communication terminal 10 are realized by a group of programs (processing modules) stored in the memory 32, such as a communication program, an estimation program, a control program, etc., and a group of data, such as a reference value indicating the number of times a communication path by another communication method used by the estimation program has been added or deleted, and a value indicating a predetermined period used by the control program. The processing modules are realized, for example, by the CPU 31 executing each program stored in the memory 32. The programs can be downloaded via a network or updated using a storage medium storing the programs. Furthermore, the processing modules may be realized by a semiconductor chip. That is, it is sufficient to have some means for executing the functions performed by the processing modules using some hardware and / or software.

[0047] [Hardware operation] When the communication terminal 10 starts operation, first, the communication program and the control program are called from the memory 32 and are put into an execution state by the CPU 31. The communication program operates the communication module 34 to perform communication. In the communication program, in addition to a communication path using one communication method as an initial state, communication paths using other communication methods may be added. Next, the estimation program is called from the memory 32 and is put into an execution state by the CPU 31. This program passes to the control program a value (which may be a numerical value or a rank) indicating the communication environment based on the communication status acquired by the communication program (for example, measured values ​​such as effective upload / download speeds, signal strength, delay, packet loss, etc.).

[0048] The control program receives a value indicating the communication environment from the estimation program, and executes control to add or delete a communication path using another communication method based on this value. Specifically, it executes instructions such as sending a command to the communication program to add or delete a communication path.

[0049] The estimation program counts the number of times a communication path using another communication method is added or deleted. The control program measures a predetermined period using a timer or the like, and when this predetermined period has elapsed, the estimation program obtains the count result of the number of times a communication path using another communication method has been added or deleted as an estimated value of the communication environment, and determines whether the number of additions or deletions is equal to or greater than a predetermined number stored in memory 32. The estimation program passes the estimated result of the communication environment, including the determination result, to the control program.

[0050] The control program controls the communication program to delete communication paths using other communication methods based on the estimation results, and controls the estimation program to reset a counter.The control unit then measures a predetermined period using a timer or the like, and maintains the deletion of communication paths using other communication methods during that period.At this time, the control program may stop power supply to circuits in the communication module 34 that correspond to communication paths using other communication methods.After the predetermined period has elapsed, the estimation program returns to processing to estimate the communication environment.

[0051] [Effect description] The communication terminal according to the first embodiment can add and delete communication paths provided by other communication methods based on the estimated communication environment when communication can be performed using communication paths provided by one communication method in addition to communication paths provided by another communication method. Furthermore, when addition and deletion are repeated a predetermined number of times within a predetermined period, the deletion state is continued within the predetermined period, thereby making it possible to avoid a situation in which a communication path of another communication method is added in a poor communication environment, resulting in increased power consumption.

[0052] [Second embodiment] In the second and subsequent embodiments, the configuration and operation of the communication terminal of the above embodiment when applied to a wireless communication system will be described.

[0053] [overview] As a second embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 4 shows an example of the configuration of a wireless communication system according to this embodiment. Fig. 5 shows a flowchart in which the radio wave environment estimation unit 104 estimates the radio wave environment of the 5G network using information on how many times the 5G communication base station 116 has been added (Add) / removed (Release) during communication between the communication terminal 101 and the 4G communication base station 115, which information is obtained via antennas 111, 112, 113, and 114. When the communication terminal 101 repeatedly adds (Add) / removes (Release) the 5G communication base station 116, it determines that the environment is such as the edge of a 5G network area that the effect of improving communication speed by adding (Add) the 5G network cannot be sufficiently obtained, notifies the 4G communication base station 115 that the 5G function of the communication terminal 101 has been disabled, and after confirming that a response has been returned from the 4G communication base station 115, stops the power supply to the 5G radio circuit unit 110.

[0054] [composition] As shown in FIG. 4 , the wireless communication system according to the second embodiment includes a wireless circuit unit 108 that modulates, demodulates, and amplifies signals from antennas 111, 112, 113, and 114 and a communication unit 105, a communication unit 105 that transmits and receives data via antennas 111, 112, 113, and 114, a control unit 102 that controls the communication terminal 101, a memory unit 103 that stores terminal settings, and a communication terminal 101 that includes a radio wave environment estimation unit 104 that estimates a radio wave environment from radio wave information obtained via the antennas 111, 112, 113, and 114, and a 4G communication base station 115 and a 5G communication base station 116 that communicate wirelessly with the communication terminal 101.

[0055] [Explanation of operation] Regarding the operation of the wireless communication system of this embodiment, the radio wave environment estimation unit 104 estimates the radio wave environment of the 5G network using information obtained via antennas 111, 112, 113, and 114 on how many times the 5G communication base station 116 was added / removed during communication between the communication terminal 101 and the 4G communication base station 115. If the communication terminal 101 repeatedly adds / removes the 5G communication base station 116, it determines that the environment is such as the edge of a 5G network area that the effect of improving communication speed by adding a 5G network cannot be fully obtained, and notifies the 4G communication base station 115 that the 5G function of the communication terminal 101 has been disabled. After confirming that a response has been received from the 4G communication base station 115, the flow chart shown in Figure 5 shows how power supply to the 5G wireless circuit unit 110 is stopped. The communication terminal 101 is powered on and the 5G function of the communication terminal 101 is enabled. After the communication terminal 101 is powered on, it is checked whether the terminal is connected to the network. If the device is connected to the network, proceed to the next step and start the timer. If it is not connected, the check is repeated until it is connected to the network. Check if the timer is counting, and if so, proceed to the next step. If the timer has expired, it checks how many times the 5G communication base station 116 has been added / released. If the specified number of times is exceeded, the 5G function of the communication terminal 101 is set to be disabled. If the specified number of times has not been exceeded, the timer is cleared and started again. Check whether the 5G communication base station 116 has been added, and if so, record that it has been added and proceed to the next step. If it has not been added, the check is repeated until it is added. Check if the timer is counting, and if so, proceed to the next step. If the timer has expired, it checks how many times the 5G communication base station 116 has been added / released. If the specified number of times is exceeded, the 5G function of the communication terminal 101 is set to be disabled. If the specified number of times has not been exceeded, the timer is cleared and started again. Check whether the 5G communication base station 116 has been released, and if it has been released, record that it has been released and proceed to the next step. If it has not been released, the check is repeated until it is released.

[0056] [Effect description] By carrying out the above procedure, the communication terminal 101 includes a radio circuit unit 108 that modulates, demodulates, and amplifies signals from the antennas 111, 112, 113, and 114 and the communication unit 105, the communication unit 105 that transmits and receives data via the antennas 111, 112, 113, and 114, a control unit 102 that controls the communication terminal 101, a storage unit 103 that stores terminal settings, and a radio wave environment estimation unit 104 that estimates a radio wave environment from radio wave information obtained via the antennas 111, 112, 113, and 114, and a 4G communication base station 115, a 5G communication base station 115, and a 5G communication base station 115 that communicates wirelessly with the communication terminal 101. In a system configured with a communication base station 116, it is possible to automatically stop the supply of power to the 5G radio circuit unit 110 in an environment where the effect of improving communication speeds by adding a 5G network cannot be fully obtained, such as at the edge of a 5G network area. This solves the problem of excess power consumption occurring because the radio circuit for the 5G network operates even in an environment where the effect of improving communication speeds by adding a 5G network cannot be fully obtained, such as at the edge of a 5G network area.

[0057] The reason for this is that the wireless communication system includes a means for estimating the radio wave environment of the 5G network in the radio wave environment estimation unit 104 using information on how many times the addition (Add) / removal (Release) of the 5G communication base station 116 has been repeated during communication between the communication terminal 101 and the 4G communication base station 115, which information is obtained via the antennas 111, 112, 113, and 114, and when the communication terminal 101 repeatedly adds (Add) / removes (Release) the 5G communication base station 116, it determines that the environment is such that the effect of improving communication speed by adding (Add) the 5G network cannot be sufficiently obtained, such as the edge of the 5G network area, and notifies the 4G communication base station 115 that the 5G function of the communication terminal 101 has been disabled, and a response is returned from the 4G communication base station 115. After confirming this, a means is provided for stopping the power supply to the 5G radio circuit unit 110, and when the terminal is connected to the network, the radio wave environment estimation unit 104 estimates the radio wave environment of the 5G network using information on how many times the 5G communication base station 116 has been added (Add) / removed (Release) during communication between the communication terminal 101 and the 4G communication base station 115, which information is obtained via the antennas 111, 112, 113, and 114, and when the communication terminal 101 repeatedly adds (Add) / removes (Release) the 5G communication base station 116, the 4G communication base station 115 is notified that the 5G function of the communication terminal 101 has been disabled, and after confirming that a response has been returned from the 4G communication base station 115, the power supply to the 5G radio circuit unit 110 is stopped.

[0058] As a result, the communication terminal 101 includes a radio circuit unit 108 that modulates, demodulates, and amplifies signals from the antennas 111, 112, 113, and 114 and the communication unit 105, a communication unit 105 that transmits and receives data via the antennas 111, 112, 113, and 114, a control unit 102 that controls the communication terminal 101, a storage unit 103 that stores terminal settings, and a radio wave environment estimation unit 104 that estimates a radio wave environment from radio wave information obtained via the antennas 111, 112, 113, and 114, and a 4G communication base station 115 and a 5G communication base station 116 that perform radio communication with the communication terminal 101. In this system, it becomes possible to automatically stop the supply of power to the 5G radio circuit unit 110 in an environment where the effect of improving communication speeds by adding a 5G network cannot be fully achieved, such as at the edge of a 5G network area. This eliminates the problem of excess power consumption occurring due to the operation of the radio circuit for the 5G network even in an environment where the effect of improving communication speeds by adding a 5G network cannot be fully achieved, such as at the edge of a 5G network area, thereby improving user convenience.

[0059] [Third embodiment] As a third embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 6 shows an example of the configuration of a wireless communication system according to this embodiment. Also, Fig. 7 shows how many times a 5G communication base station 316 has been added (Add) / removed (Release) during communication between the communication terminal 301 and the 4G communication base station 315, which is obtained via antennas 311, 312, 313, and 314. Using this information, the radio wave environment estimation unit 304 estimates the radio wave environment of the 5G network, and when the communication terminal 301 repeatedly adds (Add) / removes (Release) the 5G communication base station 316, it determines that the environment is such that the effect of improving communication speed by adding a 5G network cannot be sufficiently obtained, such as at the edge of a 5G network area, and notifies the 4G communication base station 315. 3 shows a flowchart of notifying the 4G communication base station 315 that the 5G function of the communication terminal 301 has been disabled, and after confirming that a response has been returned from the 4G communication base station 315, stopping the power supply to the 5G radio circuit unit 310, and using information as to whether the 4G communication base station 315 supports adding / removing a 5G network, obtained via antennas 311, 312, 313, and 314, notifying the 4G communication base station 315 that the 5G function of the communication terminal 301 has been enabled, and after confirming that a response has been returned from the 4G communication base station 315, resuming the power supply to the 5G radio circuit unit 310.

[0060] [composition] As shown in Figure 6, the wireless communication system according to this embodiment includes a wireless circuit unit 308 that modulates, demodulates, and amplifies signals from antennas 311, 312, 313, and 314 and a communication unit 305, a communication unit 305 that transmits and receives data via antennas 311, 312, 313, and 314, a control unit 302 that controls the communication terminal 301, a memory unit 303 that stores terminal settings, a radio wave environment estimation unit 304 that estimates the radio wave environment from radio wave information obtained via antennas 311, 312, 313, and 314, and a 5G environment estimation unit 317 that estimates whether a 4G communication base station 315 obtained via antennas 311, 312, 313, and 314 supports the addition / removal of a 5G network, and a communication terminal 301, a 4G communication base station 315, and a 5G communication base station 316 that perform wireless communication with the communication terminal 301.

[0061] [Explanation of operation] Regarding the operation of the example of this embodiment, the radio wave environment estimation unit 304 estimates the radio wave environment of the 5G network using information on how many times the 5G communication base station 316 has been added (Add) / removed (Release) during communication between the communication terminal 301 and the 4G communication base station 315, which information is obtained via the antennas 311, 312, 313, and 314. If the communication terminal 301 repeatedly adds (Add) / removes (Release) the 5G communication base station 316, it determines that the environment is such that the effect of improving communication speed by adding a 5G network, such as at the edge of a 5G network area, cannot be sufficiently obtained, and then the 4G communication base station 315 7 shows a flowchart in which the 4G communication base station 315 is notified that the 5G function of the communication terminal 301 has been disabled, and after confirming that a response has been returned from the 4G communication base station 315, the power supply to the 5G radio circuit unit 310 is stopped, and using information obtained via antennas 311, 312, 313, and 314 as to whether the 4G communication base station 315 supports adding / removing 5G networks, the 4G communication base station 315 is notified that the 5G function of the communication terminal 301 has been enabled, and after confirming that a response has been returned from the 4G communication base station 315, the power supply to the 5G radio circuit unit 310 is resumed. The communication terminal 301 is powered on and the 5G function of the communication terminal 301 is enabled. After the communication terminal 301 is turned on, it is checked whether the terminal is connected to the network. If the device is connected to the network, proceed to the next step and start the timer. If it is not connected, the check is repeated until it is connected to the network. Check if the timer is counting, and if so, proceed to the next step. If the timer has expired, it checks how many times the 5G communication base station 316 has been added / released. If the specified number of times has not been exceeded, the timer is cleared and started again. If the specified number of times is exceeded, the 5G function of the communication terminal 301 is disabled and the 5G activation timer is started. It checks whether the 5G activation timer has expired, and after expiration, it checks whether the 4G communication base station 315 supports adding / removing a 5G network, and if so, it enables the 5G function of the communication terminal 301 and clears the 5G activation timer. It also clears the timer and starts it again. Check whether the 5G communication base station 316 has been added, and if so, record that it has been added and proceed to the next step. If it has not been added, the check is repeated until it is added. Check if the timer is counting, and if so, proceed to the next step. If the timer has expired, it checks how many times the 5G communication base station 316 has been added / released. If the specified number of times has not been exceeded, the timer is cleared and started again. If the specified number of times is exceeded, the 5G function of the communication terminal 301 is disabled and the 5G activation timer is started. It checks whether the 5G activation timer has expired, and after expiration, it checks whether the 4G communication base station 315 supports adding / removing a 5G network, and if so, it enables the 5G function of the communication terminal 301 and clears the 5G activation timer. It also clears the timer and starts it again. Check whether the 5G communication base station 316 has been released, and if it has been released, record that it has been released and proceed to the next step. If it has not been released, the check is repeated until it is released.

[0062] [Effect description] By implementing the above procedure, in addition to the effects described in the [Explanation of Effects] of the second embodiment, it becomes possible to automatically resume power supply to the 5G radio circuit unit 310 in a 5G network area, and by adding a 5G network, communication speed improves and user convenience is improved.

[0063] Some or all of the above-described embodiments can also be described as in the following supplementary notes. However, the following supplementary notes are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to such cases. [Appendix 1] This is the same as the communication terminal according to the first aspect described above. [Appendix 2] Preferably, the communication terminal according to appendix 1, wherein the estimation unit estimates the communication environment based on the number of times that addition or deletion of a communication path using the other communication method is repeated within a predetermined period. [Appendix 3] Preferably, the communication terminal according to appendix 1, wherein the control unit maintains the deletion of the communication path by the other communication method for a predetermined period when the communication environment by the other communication method satisfies a predetermined condition. [Appendix 4] Preferably, the communication terminal of appendix 2 or 3, wherein the control unit stops supplying power to a communication circuit for the other communication method in the communication unit when the deletion of the communication path for the other communication method is maintained for a predetermined period of time. [Appendix 5] Preferably, the communication terminal of appendix 3 or 4, wherein the control unit acquires the estimation result of the communication environment by the estimation unit after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, and determines whether to add a communication path using another communication method based on the estimation result. [Appendix 6] Preferably, the control unit determines whether to delete or add a communication path using the other communication method based on whether the estimation result is below or above a predetermined value, in the communication terminal of any one of appendices 1 to 5. [Appendix 7] Preferably, the communication terminal of claim 6, wherein the control unit sets the predetermined value to a different value when the estimation result is higher than the predetermined value and when the estimation result is lower than the predetermined value. [Appendix 8] This is the same as the wireless communication system according to the second aspect described above. [Appendix 9] This is the same as the communication method according to the third aspect described above. [Appendix 10] This is the same as the program related to the fourth perspective mentioned above. Note that Supplements 8, 9, and 10 can be expanded into Supplements 2 to 7, just like Supplement 1.

[0064] The disclosures of the above-cited patent documents and other documents are incorporated herein by reference. Modifications and adjustments of the embodiments are possible within the scope of the entire disclosure of the present invention (including the claims), and further based on the basic technical concepts thereof. Furthermore, various combinations and selections (including partial deletions) of the various disclosed elements (including each element of each claim, each embodiment, each element of each embodiment, each element of each drawing, etc.) are possible within the scope of the entire disclosure of the present invention. In other words, the present invention naturally includes various modifications and alterations that would be possible by a person skilled in the art in accordance with the entire disclosure and technical concepts, including the claims. In particular, with regard to the numerical ranges set forth herein, any numerical value or subrange included within the range should be construed as being specifically set forth, even if not otherwise specified. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 10: Communication terminal 11: Communications Department 12: Estimation part 13: Control section 31: CPU 32: Memory 33: Input / output interface 34: Communication module 35: Internal bus 101: Communication terminal 102: Control unit 103: Storage section 104: Radio wave environment estimation section 105: Communications Department 108: Radio circuit section 110:5G wireless circuit section 111~114: Antenna 115: Telecommunications base station, 4G communications base station 116: Telecommunications base stations, 5G telecommunications base stations 301: Communication terminal 302: Control unit 303: Storage section 304: Radio wave environment estimation section 305: Communications Department 308: Radio circuit section 310:5G wireless circuit section 311~314: Antenna 315: Telecommunications base station, 4G communications base station 316: Telecommunications base station, 5G communications base station 317:5G environment estimation department

Claims

1. a communication unit that performs communication by adding or deleting a communication path according to another communication method different from the first communication method during communication according to the first communication method; an estimation unit that estimates a communication environment in the communication unit based on the number of times that a communication path using the other communication method is repeatedly added or deleted within a predetermined period; a control unit that performs control to delete the communication path by the other communication method when the number of times the addition or deletion is repeated exceeds a specified number based on the estimation result of the estimation unit, and to add the communication path by the other communication method when a predetermined time has elapsed since the deletion of the communication path by the other communication method; A communication terminal having the above configuration.

2. the control unit maintains the deletion of the communication path by the other communication method for a predetermined period when the communication environment by the other communication method satisfies a predetermined condition. The communication terminal of claim 1.

3. The communication terminal according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit stops supplying power to a communication circuit for the other communication method in the communication unit when the deletion of the communication path for the other communication method is maintained for a predetermined period of time.

4. the control unit acquires a result of the estimation of the communication environment by the estimation unit after the predetermined period has elapsed, and determines whether to add a communication path by another communication method based on the estimation result.

4. The communication terminal according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The communication terminal according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit determines whether to delete or add the communication path of the other communication method based on whether the estimation result is below or above a predetermined value.

6. The communication terminal according to claim 5 , wherein the control unit sets the predetermined value to a different value when the estimated result is higher than the predetermined value and when the estimated result is lower than the predetermined value.

7. a base station that communicates using one communication method; a base station that communicates using a communication method different from the first communication method; a communication unit that performs communication by adding or deleting a communication path according to the other communication method during communication according to the one communication method; an estimation unit that estimates a communication environment in the communication unit based on the number of times that a communication path using the other communication method is repeatedly added or deleted within a predetermined period; a control unit that performs control to delete the communication path by the other communication method when the number of times the addition or deletion is repeated exceeds a specified number based on the estimation result of the estimation unit, and to add the communication path by the other communication method when a predetermined time has elapsed since the deletion of the communication path by the other communication method; a communication terminal having A wireless communication system comprising:

8. During communication by one communication method, a communication terminal performs communication by adding or deleting a communication path by another communication method different from the one communication method; estimating the communication environment based on the number of times that a communication path using the other communication method is repeatedly added or deleted within a predetermined period; a step of performing control to delete a communication path by the other communication method when the number of times the addition or deletion has been repeated exceeds a specified number based on an estimation result in the step of estimating the communication environment, and to add a communication path by the other communication method when a predetermined time has elapsed since the deletion of the communication path by the other communication method; A communication method including:

9. A process of performing communication by adding or deleting a communication path according to another communication method different from the one communication method during communication according to the one communication method; A process of estimating the communication environment based on the number of times that a communication path using the other communication method is repeatedly added or deleted within a predetermined period of time; a process of performing control to delete a communication path by the other communication method when the number of times the addition or deletion has been repeated exceeds a specified number of times based on an estimation result of the process of estimating the communication environment, and to add a communication path by the other communication method when a predetermined time has elapsed since the deletion of the communication path by the other communication method; A program that causes a computer to execute the following.

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