Mobile devices and wireless communication control systems

Abstract

To improve robustness of communication between a mobile device and a remote terminal.SOLUTION: A mobile device 10 is controlled or monitored by a remote terminal 20 and moves within a predetermined operation range, and comprises: a communication quality measurement part 111 that detects radio communication that can be connected in a communication environment of the mobile device 10 and measures each communication quality of the detected radio communication, for each of a plurality of radio communication interfaces 12A and 12B provided in the mobile device 10; and a communication control part 112 that controls the plurality of radio communication interfaces so as to connect in radio at least a first radio communication interface and a second radio communication interface among the plurality of radio communication interfaces to mutually different network devices at the same time on the basis of a communication quality of the radio communication detected for each radio communication interface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a mobile device and a wireless communication control system, and more particularly, to a mobile device that is controlled or monitored by a remote terminal and moves within a predetermined operating range, and a wireless control system including the remote terminal and the mobile device.

Background Art

[0002] Robots are remotely controlled or their operations are monitored via wireless data communication such as wireless LAN or mobile data communication. However, in a situation where normal communication cannot be performed due to deterioration or disconnection of the wireless link, the robot may take actions for ensuring safety such as automatically returning to a predetermined home area or stopping on the spot. In such a state, some robots require a reset operation by a person, which poses a problem that stable and continuous operation becomes difficult.

[0003] Wireless communication has more drastic fluctuations in communication quality than wired communication due to various factors. As fluctuation factors caused by the frequency band, it can be mentioned that as the frequency increases, the directivity increases and it becomes more susceptible to the influence of blockage by obstacles. Also, in the case of radio waves that can be used without a license (such as the 2.4 GHz band), in addition to interference of radio waves and channels due to an excessive number of devices in use, the fact that it is easily absorbed by moisture, etc. are mentioned as fluctuation factors of communication quality.

[0004] Also, as fluctuation factors caused by people, the load of the base station or access point fluctuates due to people's behavior patterns, and the lack of fairness in the opportunity of use by users who perform a large amount of communication temporarily, etc. are mentioned.

[0005] In addition, as location-specific fluctuation factors, there are also the distance to the nearest base station or access point and the presence or absence of shielding objects, the difference in the communication method and corresponding frequency band that the base station or access point supports, the communication speed and quality of the backhaul line, the bandwidth control restriction during communication congestion by the service provider, etc.

[0006] It is not easy to avoid all of the above-mentioned fluctuating factors that affect the communication quality of wireless communication, and it is difficult to meet the communication quality requirements for remote control and other applications using wireless communication with conventional network technologies alone. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-136961 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] The present invention is based on the above technical understanding and aims to provide a mobile device and a wireless communication control system that can improve the robustness of communication between a mobile device and a remote terminal. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A mobile device according to a first aspect of the present invention is: A mobile device that is controlled or monitored by a remote terminal and moves within a predetermined operating range, A communication quality measurement unit for each of the multiple wireless communication interfaces of the mobile device detects wireless communication that can be connected in the communication environment of the mobile device and measures the communication quality of the detected wireless communication, The system includes a communication control unit that controls the plurality of wireless communication interfaces so that at least a first wireless communication interface and a second wireless communication interface simultaneously connect to different network devices, based on the communication quality of the wireless communication detected for each of the aforementioned wireless communication interfaces.

[0010] Furthermore, in the aforementioned mobile device, The aforementioned communication quality may include at least one of the following: received signal strength of wireless communication, communication speed, number of packet losses, delay, fluctuations in packet arrival intervals, communication success rate, and information regarding the specifications of the network equipment.

[0011] Furthermore, in the aforementioned mobile device, If the first wireless communication via the first wireless communication interface is the primary line responsible for transmitting and receiving data between the mobile device and the remote terminal, and the second wireless communication via the second wireless communication interface is a backup line, the communication control unit may perform a switching process to make the first wireless communication the backup line and the second wireless communication the primary line when it determines, based on the communication quality, that the communication quality of the second wireless communication is higher than that of the first wireless communication.

[0012] Furthermore, in the aforementioned mobile device, The aforementioned communication quality is the received signal strength, communication speed, or communication success rate of the wireless communication, and the communication control unit may perform the switching process when the value indicating the communication quality of the second wireless communication interface is greater than or equal to a specified value than the value indicating the communication quality of the first wireless communication interface.

[0013] Furthermore, in the aforementioned mobile device, The first wireless communication via the first wireless communication interface is the primary line responsible for transmitting and receiving data between the mobile device and the remote terminal, and the second wireless communication via the second wireless communication interface is a backup line. If a wireless communication with higher communication quality than the backup line is detected, the communication control unit may control the second wireless communication interface to switch the backup line to the detected wireless communication.

[0014] Furthermore, in the aforementioned mobile device, When data is transmitted and received between the mobile device and the remote terminal using both a first wireless communication via the first wireless communication interface and a second wireless communication via the second wireless communication interface, if the second wireless communication is determined to have higher communication quality than the first wireless communication based on the communication quality, the communication control unit may perform a ratio change process to reduce the amount of data transmitted by the first wireless communication and increase the amount of data transmitted by the second wireless communication.

[0015] Furthermore, in the aforementioned mobile device, The aforementioned communication quality is the received signal strength, communication speed, or communication success rate of the wireless communication, and the communication control unit may perform the ratio change process when the value indicating the communication quality of the second wireless communication interface is greater than or equal to a specified value than the value indicating the communication quality of the first wireless communication interface.

[0016] Furthermore, in the aforementioned mobile device, When data is transmitted and received between the mobile device and the remote terminal using both a first wireless communication via the first wireless communication interface and a second wireless communication via the second wireless communication interface, if the second wireless communication is determined to have higher communication quality than the first wireless communication based on the communication quality, the communication control unit may perform a redundancy modification process to increase the redundancy of data transmission by the first wireless communication and decrease the redundancy of data transmission by the second wireless communication.

[0017] Furthermore, in the aforementioned mobile device, The aforementioned communication quality is the received signal strength, communication speed, or communication success rate of the wireless communication, and the communication control unit may perform the redundancy change processing when the value indicating the communication quality of the second wireless communication interface is greater than or equal to a specified value than the value indicating the communication quality of the first wireless communication interface.

[0018] Furthermore, in the aforementioned mobile device, The plurality of wireless communication interfaces may communicate with the remote terminal according to a connectionless protocol.

[0019] A mobile device according to a second aspect of the present invention is a mobile device that is controlled or monitored by a remote terminal and moves within a predetermined operating range, an environmental information acquisition unit that acquires communication environment information regarding the communication environment of the mobile device; a communication quality inference unit that respectively infers the future communication quality of wireless communication detected for a plurality of wireless communication interfaces of the mobile device by using a learned model that inputs the communication environment information and outputs the future communication quality of wireless communication; and a communication control unit that controls the plurality of wireless communication interfaces so that at least a first wireless communication interface and a second wireless communication interface among the plurality of wireless communication interfaces are wirelessly connected to different network devices simultaneously based on the future communication quality of the wireless communication detected for each wireless communication interface.

[0020] Also, in the mobile device, when the first wireless communication via the first wireless communication interface is an active line responsible for data transmission and reception between the mobile device and the remote terminal, and the second wireless communication via the second wireless communication interface is a backup standby line, the communication control unit, based on the future communication quality, when it is determined that a higher communication quality is maintained for the second wireless communication than for the first wireless communication, may perform a switching process of setting the first wireless communication as a standby line and the second wireless communication as an active line.

[0021] Also, in the mobile device, When data is transmitted and received between the mobile device and the remote terminal by using both the first wireless communication via the first wireless communication interface and the second wireless communication via the second wireless communication interface, when it is determined that higher communication quality is maintained for the second wireless communication than for the first wireless communication based on the future communication quality, the communication control unit may perform a ratio change process of reducing the data transmission amount by the first wireless communication and increasing the data transmission amount by the second wireless communication.

[0022] Also, in the mobile device, When data is transmitted and received between the mobile device and the remote terminal by using both the first wireless communication via the first wireless communication interface and the second wireless communication via the second wireless communication interface, when it is determined that higher communication quality is maintained for the second wireless communication than for the first wireless communication based on the future communication quality, the communication control unit may perform a redundancy change process of increasing the redundancy in data transmission by the first wireless communication and decreasing the redundancy in data transmission by the second wireless communication.

[0023] Also, in the mobile device, The communication environment information may include at least any one of time information, position information of the mobile device, and information related to weather and climate.

[0024] Also, in the mobile device, The plurality of wireless communication interfaces may communicate with the remote terminal according to a connectionless protocol.

[0025] Also, in the mobile device, The mobile device may be a robot, construction machinery, drone, ship, or ROV.

[0026] The wireless communication control system according to the first aspect of the present invention is A mobile device that moves within a predetermined operating range, The mobile device comprises a remote terminal for controlling or monitoring the mobile device, The aforementioned mobile device is Multiple wireless communication interfaces, A communication quality measurement unit for each of the plurality of wireless communication interfaces detects wireless communication that can be connected in the communication environment of the mobile device and measures the communication quality of the detected wireless communication, The system includes a communication control unit that controls the plurality of wireless communication interfaces so that at least a first wireless communication interface and a second wireless communication interface simultaneously connect to different network devices, based on the communication quality of the wireless communication detected for each of the aforementioned wireless communication interfaces.

[0027] A wireless communication control system according to a second aspect of the present invention is: A mobile device that moves within a predetermined range of motion, The mobile device comprises a remote terminal for controlling or monitoring the mobile device, The aforementioned mobile device is Multiple wireless communication interfaces, An environment information acquisition unit that acquires communication environment information relating to the communication environment of the mobile device, A communication quality inference unit that uses a trained model that takes the aforementioned communication environment information as input and outputs the future communication quality of wireless communication to infer the detected future communication quality of wireless communication for each of the multiple wireless communication interfaces, The system includes a communication control unit that controls the plurality of wireless communication interfaces so that at least one first wireless communication interface and one second wireless communication interface among the plurality of wireless communication interfaces are simultaneously wirelessly connected to different network devices, based on the aforementioned future communication quality. [Effects of the Invention]

[0028] According to the present invention, the robustness of communication between a mobile device and a remote terminal can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0029] [Figure 1] This figure shows a schematic configuration of the wireless communication control system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a functional block diagram of the mobile device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of a line management database according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a wireless communication control method using a wireless communication control system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This figure shows a schematic configuration of a wireless communication control system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a functional block diagram of the mobile device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a functional block diagram of the learning server according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a wireless communication control method using a wireless communication control system according to the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0031] (First embodiment) First, with reference to Figure 1, a wireless communication control system 1 according to the first embodiment will be described.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1, the wireless communication control system 1 includes a mobile device 10 that moves within a predetermined operating range and a remote terminal 20 that controls or monitors the mobile device 10.

[0033] The mobile device 10 and the remote terminal 20 are connected via mobile data communication over Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity®). The type of wireless communication method and protocol is not particularly limited and may include, for example, LTE (Long Term Evolution®), 4G, 5G, LPWA (Low Power Wide Area), satellite communication, etc.

[0034] In this embodiment, the mobile device 10 is a robot that moves within a predetermined working range. The working range is, for example, a construction site, a port, or inside a tunnel.

[0035] The mobile device 10 can be any device that is remotely controlled or monitored by the remote terminal 20 and moves within a predetermined operating range. For example, it may be a construction machine moving around a construction site, a drone (UAV), a ship, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), etc.

[0036] The mobile device 10 is equipped with multiple antennas A1 and A2, and multiple wireless communication interfaces (wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B, described later) corresponding to each antenna. The mobile device 10 simultaneously establishes wireless connections to multiple network devices (in this embodiment, access points) via antennas A1 and A2. The network devices can be any devices that relay signals between the mobile device 10 and the remote terminal 20, and may include base stations of communication carriers.

[0037] The remote terminal 20 is an information processing device that has wireless communication capabilities and is configured to control or monitor the mobile device 10. Examples include a tablet device, smartphone, or notebook computer. The remote terminal 20 may also be a fixed-type information processing device such as a desktop computer.

[0038] As shown in Figure 1, the mobile device 10 is controlled by a remote terminal 20 and moves along a movement path P1 from left to right in the figure. During this process, control signals from the remote terminal 20 are transmitted to the mobile device 10 via an access point. The mobile device 10 receives control signals from one (or both) of the multiple wirelessly connected access points and operates based on the received control signals.

[0039] As will be explained in more detail later, the mobile device 10 has multiple wireless communication interfaces, and these wireless communication interfaces are controlled to simultaneously connect wirelessly to different network devices (access points) based on the communication quality of the wireless communication detected at the current location of the mobile device 10.

[0040] <Mobile device 10> Next, with reference to Figures 2 and 3, the details of the mobile device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described.

[0041] As shown in Figure 2, the mobile device 10 comprises a control unit 11, multiple wireless communication interfaces 12A, 12B, a storage unit 13, an imaging unit 14, a positioning unit 15, and a drive unit (propulsion unit) 16. Each of these parts will be described below.

[0042] The control unit 11 includes a communication quality measurement unit 111 for measuring the quality of wireless communication and a communication control unit 112 for controlling a plurality of wireless communication interfaces 12A, 12B.

[0043] The communication quality measurement unit 111 is configured to detect one or more wireless communications that can be connected in the communication environment at the current location of the mobile device 10 for each of the multiple wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B, and to measure the communication quality of each detected wireless communication. In this embodiment, the communication quality to be measured is the strength of the signal received from the access point (received signal strength).

[0044] Furthermore, communication quality is not limited to these, and any indicator of communication quality is acceptable, such as communication speed, number of packet losses, delay, fluctuations in packet arrival intervals, and communication success rate (the percentage of data that reaches the communication partner within a specified time).

[0045] Furthermore, the communication quality measurement unit 111 may acquire information regarding the specifications of network devices such as access points (for example, the radio frequency band used, the standards followed, etc.) as communication quality information.

[0046] Furthermore, multiple indicators (for example, received signal strength and communication speed) may be measured as indicators of communication quality.

[0047] The communication control unit 112 is configured to control multiple wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B so that each wireless communication interface 12A and wireless communication interface 12B can simultaneously connect wirelessly to different network devices, based on the wireless communication quality detected for each wireless communication interface 12A and 12B.

[0048] Furthermore, if the mobile device 10 is provided with three or more wireless communication interfaces, the communication control unit 112 controls the multiple wireless communication interfaces so that at least two of the multiple wireless communication interfaces (the first wireless communication interface and the second wireless communication interface) are simultaneously wirelessly connected to different network devices, based on the communication quality of the wireless communication detected for each wireless communication interface.

[0049] Furthermore, the communication control unit 112 may be provided within the mobile device 10 as a communication control device capable of communicating with the control unit 11, separate from the control unit 11.

[0050] In this embodiment, in addition to the communication quality measured by the communication quality measurement unit 111, the control of the wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B is performed by referring to the pre-configured rules 131 described later. That is, the communication control unit 112 controls the multiple wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B based on the communication quality measured by the communication quality measurement unit 111 and the pre-configured rules 131.

[0051] For example, if the first wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12A is the primary line responsible for transmitting and receiving data between the mobile device 10 and the remote terminal 20, and the second wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12B is the backup line, the communication control unit 112 will perform a switching process to make the first wireless communication the backup line and the second wireless communication the primary line when it determines from the measured communication quality that the communication quality of the second wireless communication is higher than that of the first wireless communication. For example, if the received signal strength of the wireless communication is used as the communication quality, the communication control unit 112 will perform the above switching process when the received signal strength of wireless communication interface 12B is greater than or equal to a specified value than the received signal strength of wireless communication interface 12A. Note that the backup line is a line for backup purposes and is wirelessly connected but is not used for transmitting or receiving data. Data transmission and reception are performed by transmitting and receiving packets.

[0052] The communication quality measurement unit 111 and the communication control unit 112 of the control unit 11 are realized by the processor in the mobile device 10 executing a predetermined program. At least one of the parts of the control unit 11 may be configured by hardware.

[0053] The wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B (the first wireless communication interface and the second wireless communication interface) are interfaces for sending and receiving information between the mobile device 10 and the remote terminal 20 via wireless communication. In this embodiment, the wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B are wireless LAN network interface cards (NICs) having antennas A1 and A2. However, the wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B are not limited to these, and interfaces according to the type of network device may be used. Also, the number of wireless communication interfaces may be three or more.

[0054] In this embodiment, wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B communicate with the remote terminal 20 according to a connectionless protocol that does not perform acknowledgment of data reception. This makes it easier to ensure real-time communication, making it suitable for controlling or monitoring the mobile device 10 by the remote terminal 20. For example, UDP (User Datagram Protocol), which has higher real-time capabilities than TCP, is used.

[0055] The storage unit 13 consists of semiconductor memory, a hard disk drive, etc. This storage unit 13 stores programs and data executed by the control unit 11, as well as measurement data related to the communication quality of wireless communication via wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B. The storage unit 13 may also store information regarding the arrangement of network devices.

[0056] As shown in Figure 2, the memory unit 13 stores pre-configured rules 131 and a line management database 132, among other things.

[0057] The pre-configured rule 131 stores predetermined rules for controlling multiple wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B. For example, if the received signal strength of wireless communication via the second wireless communication interface is greater than or equal to a specified value than the received signal strength of wireless communication via the first wireless communication interface, the rule stipulates that communication between the mobile device 10 and the remote terminal 20 will be performed via wireless communication via the second wireless communication interface.

[0058] The line management database 132 is a database for managing wireless communications via wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B, and stores information such as communication quality for each wireless communication. This line management database 132 is updated whenever wireless communications (access points, etc.) are detected or communication quality is measured.

[0059] Figure 3 shows an example of the line management database 132. In this example, for each detected access point identifier (SSID), the received signal strength, priority, purpose / role, and NIC assignment are stored. The received signal strength indicates the signal strength measured by the communication quality measurement unit 111. The priority indicates the connection priority, with higher received signal strengths resulting in higher priority.

[0060] The "Purpose / Role" refers to the purpose or role of the line, and here it indicates the primary line (active) or backup line (backup) responsible for sending and receiving data between the mobile device 10 and the remote terminal 20. The "NIC Assignment" indicates the wireless communication interface connected to the access point. NIC1 indicates wireless communication interface 12A, and NIC2 indicates wireless communication interface 12B. As shown in Figure 3, multiple backup lines may be provided. Alternatively, the highest quality wireless communication line among several available connections (other than the currently used line) may be dynamically assigned as a backup line.

[0061] In addition to the primary and backup lines, a line for transmitting Forward Error Correction (FEC) packets (redundant line) may also be configured. Note that FEC packets (redundant packets) may be used on the primary and / or backup lines.

[0062] The imaging unit 14 is a means for imaging the area outside the mobile device 10, and is used to monitor the surroundings of the mobile device 10, recognize the work object, and so on.

[0063] The positioning unit 15 is a means for determining the current location of the mobile device 10 using GPS, Wi-Fi positioning, or the like.

[0064] The drive unit 16 is the means by which the mobile device 10 moves. In this embodiment, the drive unit 16 has caterpillar tracks and a motor or engine that rotates the wheels of the caterpillar tracks. The drive unit 16 may have ordinary wheels instead of caterpillar tracks. Also, if the mobile device 10 is a drone or a ship, the drive unit 16 has propellers instead of wheels.

[0065] <Wireless communication control method> Next, an example of a wireless communication control method using the wireless communication control system 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart in Figure 4.

[0066] Step S11: For each of the multiple wireless communication interfaces of the mobile device, the mobile device detects wireless communication that can be connected in the mobile device's communication environment and measures the communication quality of the detected wireless communication. In this embodiment, the communication quality measurement unit 111 of the mobile device 10 detects wireless communication that can be connected for each of the wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B and measures the communication quality (in this case, received signal strength) of the detected wireless communication.

[0067] If a new wireless communication (access point) is detected in step S11, the control unit 11 creates a record for that access point in the line management database 132. The measured received signal strength is also stored in the "signal strength" column of the record corresponding to the access point.

[0068] Step S12: Based on the communication quality measured in step S11, the multiple wireless communication interfaces are controlled so that at least the first and second wireless communication interfaces among the multiple wireless communication interfaces are simultaneously wirelessly connected to different network devices. In this embodiment, the communication control unit 112 of the mobile device 10 controls the multiple wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B so that wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B are simultaneously wirelessly connected to different network devices, based on the communication quality of the wireless communication detected for each of the wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B.

[0069] For example, if both wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B detect access points AP1 and AP2, and the signal strength of access point AP1 is higher than the signal strength of access point AP2, the communication control unit 112 controls wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B so that wireless communication interface 12A connects to access point AP1 and wireless communication interface 12B connects to access point AP2. In this case, wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12A is designated as the primary line, and wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12B is designated as the backup line, and information to that effect is stored in the "Purpose / Role" column of the line management database 132.

[0070] Furthermore, information may be transmitted and received between the mobile device 10 and the remote terminal 20 by using both wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12A and wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12B. In this case, technologies such as link aggregation, bonding, redundant data transmission, and duplication are used, and packets flow simultaneously on multiple paths. Therefore, both lines are in active use.

[0071] Furthermore, if the mobile device 10 is equipped with three wireless communication interfaces, all three lines may be used in combination, or two lines may be used in combination while a backup line is provided.

[0072] Step S13: Determine whether the communication quality of the backup second wireless communication is higher than that of the active first wireless communication. That is, the control unit 11 determines whether the communication quality of the backup line is higher than that of the active line. If yes, proceed to step S14; if no, terminate the process (or return to step S11). This determination method is based on the pre-configured rule 131. For example, determine whether the received signal strength of the backup line is greater than or equal to a specified value than the received signal strength of the active line.

[0073] Step S14: A switching process is performed to designate the first wireless communication as the backup line and the second wireless communication as the active line. In this embodiment, the communication control unit 112 designates the wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12A (currently the active line) as the backup line and the wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12B (currently the backup line) as the active line. After this step is completed, the process is terminated or the process returns to step S11.

[0074] According to the above wireless communication control method, wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B simultaneously connect wirelessly to different network devices, and dynamic switching is performed based on the communication quality measured for each wireless communication. This reduces the occurrence of packet loss and improves the robustness of communication between the mobile device 10 and the remote terminal 20.

[0075] In the example above, the decision to perform the switching process was based on the received signal strength measured for each wireless communication, but the decision could also be based on communication quality other than the received signal strength. For example, the switching process could be performed if the communication speed or success rate of the backup line is greater than or equal to a specified value than that of the active line.

[0076] Furthermore, the decision of whether or not to perform the switching process may be determined by other methods. For example, the decision may be made based on the current position of the mobile device 10 acquired by the positioning unit 15 and the access point arrangement information. For example, if the mobile device 10 is moving between a first access point and a second access point, and the first distance to the first access point is increasing while the second distance to the second access point is decreasing, the system may switch from the first access point to the second access point at an appropriate timing, such as when the second distance becomes less than or equal to the first distance. The decision of whether or not to perform the switching process may also be made based on both the received signal strength and the distance to the access point.

[0077] Furthermore, the backup line may be switched to another line depending on the changing communication environment. For example, if a new access point is detected while the mobile device 10 is moving, and the communication quality of the wireless communication via that access point (for example, the received signal strength of that access point) is determined to be higher than the communication quality of the backup line, the backup line may be switched to the wireless communication via that access point. In other words, the first wireless communication via the wireless communication interface 12A is the primary line responsible for sending and receiving data between the mobile device 10 and the remote terminal 20, and the second wireless communication via the wireless communication interface 12B is the backup line. If wireless communication with higher communication quality than the backup line is detected, the communication control unit 112 controls the wireless communication interface 12B to switch the backup line to the detected wireless communication. This ensures that a relatively good line is always available as a backup line, even if the communication environment changes.

[0078] Furthermore, if the communication quality, such as communication speed, cannot be determined without connecting to the access point, the communication control unit 112 controls the wireless communication interface 12B and the third wireless communication interface to switch the backup line to the detected wireless communication when the third wireless communication interface (not shown) detects a wireless communication with higher communication quality than the backup line.

[0079] Furthermore, if the mobile device 10 is equipped with three or more wireless communication interfaces, the line with the highest communication quality among the lines other than the active line may be designated as the backup line. In this case, the backup line may be switched dynamically.

[0080] In the example above, the switching process was performed when it was determined that the second wireless communication had higher communication quality than the first wireless communication. However, the communication control process is not limited to this. For example, when multiple wireless communication methods are used in combination, the system may perform a process to change the data transmission ratio (ratio change process) or a process to change the redundancy level (redundancy change process).

[0081] In the ratio change process, when data is transmitted and received between the mobile device 10 and the remote terminal 20 using both a first wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12A and a second wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12B, if the second wireless communication is determined to have higher communication quality than the first wireless communication based on the communication quality, the communication control unit 112 reduces the amount of data transmitted by the first wireless communication (delivery rate) and increases the amount of data transmitted by the second wireless communication.

[0082] In the redundancy change process, when data is transmitted and received between the mobile device 10 and the remote terminal 20 using both a first wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12A and a second wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12B, and the communication quality is determined to be higher for the second wireless communication than for the first wireless communication based on the communication quality, the communication control unit 112 increases the redundancy of data transmission via the first wireless communication and decreases the redundancy of data transmission via the second wireless communication. Increasing the redundancy means increasing the proportion of redundant packets, and decreasing the redundancy means decreasing the proportion of redundant packets. Here, redundant packets are forward error correction (FEC) packets used to recover lost packets.

[0083] In both the ratio change process and the redundancy change process, one method for determining communication quality is the method described in step S13, which determines that the second wireless communication has higher communication quality than the first wireless communication when the received signal strength of the wireless communication interface 12B is greater than or equal to a specified value than the received signal strength of the wireless communication interface 12A. Alternatively, instead of received signal strength, values ​​indicating communication quality such as communication speed or communication success rate may be used to make the above determination.

[0084] <Effects and Effects> As described above, in the first embodiment, the multiple wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B of the mobile device 10 are controlled to simultaneously connect wirelessly to different network devices (access points, etc.) based on the detected wireless communication quality. For example, in Figure 1, the mobile device 10 simultaneously connects to access points AP1 and AP2 at the starting point (leftmost point in the figure). Subsequently, the mobile device 10 proceeds along the mobile path P1 and simultaneously connects to access points AP4 and AP5. If access point AP5 has poor communication quality due to a fault or congestion, the mobile device 10 can maintain normal communication through wireless communication via access point AP4. The same applies if the mobile device 10 proceeds further and simultaneously connects to access points AP6 and AP8; if the wireless communication quality via access point AP8 is poor, the mobile device 10 maintains normal communication through wireless communication via access point AP6. As the mobile device 10 continues along the mobile path P1, the received signal strength of access point AP6 decreases, but line quality can be ensured by connecting to a normal access point AP7.

[0085] As described above, according to this embodiment, by controlling multiple wireless communication interfaces to always ensure high-quality wireless communication, packet loss can be suppressed and the robustness of communication between the mobile device 10 and the remote terminal 20 can be improved. As a result, the remote terminal 20 can control the mobile device 10, such as a robot, in a normal manner.

[0086] Furthermore, in this embodiment, stable wireless communication can be achieved overall by appropriately changing the roles of multiple lines (primary, backup, redundant lines, etc.) according to the communication status.

[0087] (Second embodiment) Next, with reference to Figure 5, the wireless communication control system 1A according to the second embodiment will be described. One of the differences between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is that the second embodiment acquires information about the communication environment of a mobile device (communication environment information), uses a trained model obtained by machine learning based on that information to infer future communication quality (future communication quality), and controls multiple wireless communication interfaces based on the result. The second embodiment will be described below, focusing on the differences.

[0088] As shown in Figure 5, the wireless communication control system 1A includes a mobile device 10A that moves within a predetermined operating range, a remote terminal 20 that controls or monitors the mobile device 10A, and a learning server 30 that performs machine learning based on communication environment information.

[0089] The mobile device 10A is a robot that moves within a predetermined working range, similar to the mobile device 10 described in the first embodiment, but it may also be a construction machine that moves around the construction site, a UAV, a ship, an ROV, etc.

[0090] The mobile device 10A is connected to the remote terminal 20 and the learning server 30 via mobile data communication. The mobile device 10A acquires communication environment information regarding its communication environment and transmits it to the learning server 30.

[0091] Communication environment information includes, for example, at least one of the following: time information (current time, time of day, day of the week, month, season, etc.), location information of the mobile device 10A, and weather / climate information (humidity, rainfall, wind direction, etc.). For example, including information on the time of day (morning, noon, evening, night, etc.) and / or the day of the week in the communication environment information makes it possible to predict communication quality considering the load on network devices such as access points. Also, including information on the month or season (spring, summer, autumn, winter) in the communication environment information makes it possible to predict communication quality considering the degree of attenuation of wireless signals due to the amount of foliage on trees, etc. Also, including information on weather / climate (sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc.) makes it possible to predict communication quality considering the degree of attenuation of wireless signals due to moisture in the air.

[0092] Since the remote terminal 20 is the same as the one described in the first embodiment, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0093] The learning server 30 performs machine learning using training data that includes communication environment information acquired by the mobile device 10A and communication quality information measured by the mobile device 10A, and generates a trained model that infers future communication quality from the communication environment information. Here, "future communication quality" includes communication quality in the relatively near future, up to a few minutes from the present. By inferring future communication quality, it is possible to predict fluctuations in line quality. The generated trained model is downloaded to the mobile device 10A and used for communication control.

[0094] As will be explained in more detail later, the mobile device 10A infers the future communication quality of wireless communication via multiple wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B based on the learned model described above and the current communication environment information, and controls the multiple wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B based on the inferred future communication quality.

[0095] <Mobile device 10A> Next, with reference to Figure 6, the details of the mobile device 10A according to the second embodiment will be described.

[0096] As shown in Figure 6, the mobile device 10A includes a control unit 11A, a plurality of wireless communication interfaces 12A, 12B, a storage unit 13, an imaging unit 14, a positioning unit 15, and a drive unit 16. Of these, the imaging unit 14, the positioning unit 15, and the drive unit 16 are the same as in the first embodiment, so their description is omitted, and the other parts will be described below.

[0097] The control unit 11A includes a communication quality measurement unit 111, a communication control unit 112, an environment information acquisition unit 113 that acquires communication environment information, and a communication quality inference unit 114 that performs inference using a trained model. Of these, the communication quality measurement unit 111 is the same as in the first embodiment, so its description is omitted.

[0098] The communication control unit 112 controls multiple wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B based on the future communication quality of the wireless communication inferred by the communication quality inference unit 114. Details of the control will be described separately.

[0099] The environmental information acquisition unit 113 acquires information regarding the communication environment of the mobile device 10A (communication environment information). As mentioned above, the communication environment information includes time information such as the current time and season, location information of the mobile device 10A, and weather / climate information. Time information is acquired from a clock built into the processor of the mobile device 10A or from an external server. The current location of the mobile device 10A is acquired by the positioning unit 15. Weather / climate information may be acquired from an external server or may be determined based on external conditions captured by the imaging unit 14.

[0100] The communication quality inference unit 114 is configured to infer the future communication quality of detected wireless communications for multiple wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B, based on the trained model 133 stored in the memory unit 13 and the communication environment information acquired by the environment information acquisition unit 113. Specifically, the communication quality inference unit 114 provides the communication environment information acquired by the environment information acquisition unit 113 to the input layer of the trained model 133 and obtains the estimated value of the future communication quality output from the output layer.

[0101] The memory unit 13 stores the line management database 132 described in the first embodiment, as well as the trained model 133. This trained model 133 is obtained by machine learning based on communication quality and communication environment information in the learning server 30. The trained model 133 is stored in the memory unit 13 via download or a storage medium such as a memory card.

[0102] The trained model 133 is constructed by machine learning based on communication quality measured by the communication quality measurement unit 111 and communication environment information acquired by the environment information acquisition unit 113. The trained model 133 has an input layer to which communication environment information is provided, an output layer that outputs an estimated value of future communication quality, and at least one intermediate layer between the input layer and the output layer.

[0103] Here, the details of the communication control unit 112 according to the second embodiment will be described. The communication control unit 112 controls a plurality of wireless communication interfaces 12A, 12B based on the future communication quality inferred by the communication quality inference unit 114.

[0104] For example, if the first wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12A is the primary line and the second wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12B is the backup line, the communication control unit 112 will perform a switching process to make the first wireless communication the backup line and the second wireless communication the primary line if it determines, based on future communication quality, that the second wireless communication will maintain a higher communication quality than the first wireless communication. For example, the communication control unit 112 determines that high communication quality will be maintained if it is predicted that the communication quality will be maintained at or above a predetermined level for a predetermined period of time, or if it is predicted that fluctuations in communication quality will remain within a predetermined range for a predetermined period of time.

[0105] In the example above, the switching process was performed when it was determined that the second wireless communication would maintain higher future communication quality than the first wireless communication. However, the communication control process is not limited to this. For example, when multiple wireless communication methods are used in combination, the data transmission ratio may be changed (ratio change process), or the redundancy level may be changed (redundancy level change process). The content of each process is the same as in the first embodiment.

[0106] Now, with reference to Figure 7, the learning server 30 will be described.

[0107] The learning server 30 includes a control unit 31, a communication interface 32, and a storage unit 33.

[0108] The control unit 31 includes an information input unit 311 for inputting information such as communication environment information, a machine learning unit 312, and an information output unit 313.

[0109] The machine learning unit 312 performs machine learning (for example, deep learning) using training data from the training database 331 to construct a trained model that outputs an estimated value of future communication quality. In this construction, training data containing communication environment information is provided to the input layer of the neural network, and the communication quality measured in that communication environment is used as training data. The parameters of the neural network (weights, biases, etc.) are learned so that the estimated value output from the output layer is equal to the value of the training data. The training data used for machine learning is obtained from the training database 331.

[0110] For example, a trained model is constructed using training data that associates communication environment information continuously acquired while the mobile device 10A moves along a predetermined travel path (such as travel path P1) with communication quality continuously measured during the movement. This makes it possible to construct a trained model that can accurately predict future communication quality when moving along that travel path.

[0111] Furthermore, when performing machine learning, training data that reflects relatively short-term conditions, such as a few hours or a few days, may be used, or training data that reflects long-term conditions, such as a few months or a season.

[0112] The information output unit 313 outputs information (neural network parameters) for constructing the trained model 332 to the mobile device 10A via the communication interface 32.

[0113] The communication interface 32 is an interface for sending and receiving information between the mobile device 10A and the learning server 30 via wireless or wired communication.

[0114] The memory unit 33 consists of semiconductor memory, a hard disk drive, and the like. This memory unit 33 stores programs and data executed by the control unit 31, as well as a learning database 331 and a trained model 332.

[0115] The learning database 331 is a database that stores learning data, including communication environment information and communication quality acquired by the mobile device 10A. For example, the learning database 331 is a database that stores input data such as time, location, communication standard being used, channels and radio wave conditions of surrounding access points, and stability during actual communication (e.g., packet loss, delay), in association with training data (target values) such as stability, communication speed, and resistance to interruption.

[0116] The trained model 332 is a trained model generated by the machine learning unit 312 and corresponds to the aforementioned trained model 133.

[0117] <Wireless communication control method> Next, the wireless communication control method according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart in Figure 8.

[0118] Step S21: Obtain communication environment information regarding the communication environment of the mobile device 10A. In this embodiment, the environment information acquisition unit 113 of the mobile device 10A acquires the communication environment information.

[0119] Step S22: Using a trained model 133 that inputs communication environment information and outputs the future communication quality of wireless communication, the future communication quality of the detected wireless communication is inferred for each of the multiple wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B. In this embodiment, the communication quality inference unit 114 of the mobile device 10A inputs the communication environment information acquired in step S21 into the trained model 133, thereby inferring the future communication quality of the detected wireless communication for each of the multiple wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B.

[0120] Step S23: Based on the future communication quality obtained in step S22, the multiple wireless communication interfaces are controlled so that at least the first and second wireless communication interfaces among the multiple wireless communication interfaces are simultaneously wirelessly connected to different network devices. In this embodiment, the communication control unit 112 of the mobile device 10A controls the multiple wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B so that wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B are simultaneously wirelessly connected to different network devices, based on the future communication quality of wireless communication inferred for each of the wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B.

[0121] For example, if both wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B detect access points AP1 and AP2, and the future communication quality of wireless communication via access point AP1 is higher than the future communication quality of wireless communication via access point AP2, the communication control unit 112 controls wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B so that wireless communication interface 12A connects to access point AP1 and wireless communication interface 12B connects to access point AP2. In this case, wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12A is designated as the primary line, and wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12B is designated as the backup line, and information to that effect is stored in the "Purpose / Role" column of the line management database 132.

[0122] Step S24: Determine whether the backup second wireless communication maintains a higher communication quality than the active first wireless communication. That is, the control unit 11A determines whether the future communication quality of the backup line is higher than the future communication quality of the active line. For example, if the communication control unit 112 predicts that the communication quality of the backup line will be maintained at a higher level than the communication quality of the active line for a predetermined period of time, it determines that the future communication quality of the backup line is higher than the future communication quality of the active line (S24: Yes) and proceeds to step S25. Otherwise (S24: No), the process ends (or returns to step S21).

[0123] Step S25: A switching process is performed to designate the first wireless communication as the backup line and the second wireless communication as the active line. In this embodiment, the communication control unit 112 designates the wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12A (currently the active line) as the backup line and the wireless communication via wireless communication interface 12B (currently the backup line) as the active line. After this step is completed, the process is terminated or the process returns to step S21.

[0124] According to the above wireless communication control method, wireless communication interfaces 12A and 12B simultaneously connect wirelessly to different network devices and dynamically switch based on the inferred future communication quality for each wireless communication. This reduces packet loss and improves the robustness of communication between the mobile device 10 and the remote terminal 20. In particular, in the second embodiment, by inferring future communication quality using a trained model constructed by machine learning, it is possible to predict fluctuations in communication quality due to hidden factors that cannot be judged by humans, thereby enabling more appropriate communication control according to the communication environment.

[0125] Based on the above description, those skilled in the art may be able to conceive of additional effects and various modifications of the present invention, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the individual embodiments described above. Components from different embodiments may be combined as appropriate. For example, the pre-configured rules of the first embodiment and the trained model of the second embodiment may be used in combination.

[0126] Various additions, modifications, and partial deletions are permitted as long as they do not depart from the conceptual idea and spirit of the present invention derived from the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0127] 1.1A Wireless Communication Control System 10,10A Mobile device 11,11A Control Unit 111 Communication Quality Measurement Unit 112 Communication Control Unit 113 Environmental Information Acquisition Department 114 Communication Quality Inference Unit 12A, 12B Wireless Communication Interface 13 Storage section 14 Imaging Unit 15 Positioning Unit 16 Drive unit 131 Pre-configured rules 132 Line Management Database 133 Pre-trained models 20 Remote terminals 30 Learning Servers 31 Control Unit 311 Information Input Section 312 Machine Learning Department 313 Information Output Unit 32 Communication Interfaces 33 Storage section 331 Learning Databases 332 pre-trained models A, A1, A2 antennas AP1~AP9 Access Points Building B P1 Travel Path S Starting point

Claims

1. A mobile device that is controlled or monitored by a remote terminal and moves within a predetermined operating range, A communication quality measurement unit for each of the multiple wireless communication interfaces of the mobile device detects wireless communication that can be connected in the communication environment of the mobile device and measures the communication quality of the detected wireless communication, A communication control unit controls the plurality of wireless communication interfaces to maintain during communication a state in which, based on the communication quality of the wireless communication detected for each of the aforementioned wireless communication interfaces, at least a first wireless communication interface and a second wireless communication interface are simultaneously wirelessly connected to different network devices, and the first wireless communication via the first wireless communication interface is assigned as the primary line responsible for transmitting and receiving data between the mobile device and the remote terminal, and the second wireless communication via the second wireless communication interface is assigned as a backup line. Equipped with, The communication control unit is a mobile device that dynamically switches the allocation between the active line and the backup line based on the communication quality of the active line and the backup line.

2. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the communication quality includes at least one of the following: received signal strength of wireless communication, communication speed, number of packet losses, delay, fluctuations in packet arrival interval, communication success rate, and information regarding the specifications of the network device.

3. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the communication control unit determines, based on the communication quality, that the second wireless communication has higher communication quality than the first wireless communication, and performs a switching process to make the first wireless communication a backup line and the second wireless communication a primary line.

4. The mobile device according to claim 3, wherein the communication quality is the received signal strength, communication speed, or communication success rate of wireless communication, and the communication control unit performs the switching process when the value indicating the communication quality of the second wireless communication interface is greater than or equal to a specified value than the value indicating the communication quality of the first wireless communication interface.

5. When a wireless communication with higher communication quality than the backup line is detected, the communication control unit controls the second wireless communication interface to switch the backup line to the detected wireless communication, as described in Claim 1.

6. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of wireless communication interfaces communicate with the remote terminal in accordance with a connectionless protocol.

7. A mobile device that is controlled or monitored by a remote terminal and moves within a predetermined operating range, An environment information acquisition unit that acquires communication environment information relating to the communication environment of the mobile device, A communication quality inference unit that uses a trained model that takes the aforementioned communication environment information as input and outputs the future communication quality of wireless communication to infer the detected future communication quality of wireless communication for each of the multiple wireless communication interfaces of the mobile device, A communication control unit controls the plurality of wireless communication interfaces to maintain during communication a state in which, based on the future communication quality of the wireless communication detected for each of the aforementioned wireless communication interfaces, at least a first wireless communication interface and a second wireless communication interface among the plurality of wireless communication interfaces are simultaneously wirelessly connected to different network devices, and the first wireless communication via the first wireless communication interface is assigned as the primary line responsible for transmitting and receiving data between the mobile device and the remote terminal, and the second wireless communication via the second wireless communication interface is assigned as a backup line. Equipped with, The communication control unit dynamically switches the allocation between the active line and the backup line based on the future communication quality of the active line and the backup line.

8. The mobile device according to claim 7, wherein the communication control unit determines, based on the future communication quality, that the second wireless communication maintains a higher communication quality than the first wireless communication, and performs a switching process to make the first wireless communication a backup line and the second wireless communication a primary line.

9. The mobile device according to claim 7, wherein the communication environment information includes at least one of time information, location information of the mobile device, and weather / climate information.

10. The mobile device according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of wireless communication interfaces communicate with the remote terminal in accordance with a connectionless protocol.

11. The mobile device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the mobile device is a robot, construction machinery, drone, ship, or ROV.

12. A mobile device that moves within a predetermined range of motion, The mobile device comprises a remote terminal for controlling or monitoring the mobile device, The aforementioned mobile device is Multiple wireless communication interfaces, A communication quality measurement unit for each of the plurality of wireless communication interfaces detects wireless communication that can be connected in the communication environment of the mobile device and measures the communication quality of the detected wireless communication, A communication control unit controls the plurality of wireless communication interfaces to maintain during communication a state in which, based on the communication quality of the wireless communication detected for each of the aforementioned wireless communication interfaces, at least a first wireless communication interface and a second wireless communication interface are simultaneously wirelessly connected to different network devices, and the first wireless communication via the first wireless communication interface is assigned as the primary line responsible for transmitting and receiving data between the mobile device and the remote terminal, and the second wireless communication via the second wireless communication interface is assigned as a backup line. Equipped with, The communication control unit is a wireless communication control system that dynamically switches the allocation between the active line and the backup line based on the communication quality of the active line and the backup line.

13. A mobile device that moves within a predetermined range of motion, The mobile device comprises a remote terminal for controlling or monitoring the mobile device, The aforementioned mobile device is Multiple wireless communication interfaces, An environment information acquisition unit that acquires communication environment information relating to the communication environment of the mobile device, A communication quality inference unit that uses a trained model that takes the aforementioned communication environment information as input and outputs the future communication quality of wireless communication to infer the detected future communication quality of wireless communication for each of the multiple wireless communication interfaces, A communication control unit controls the plurality of wireless communication interfaces to maintain during communication a state in which, based on the future communication quality of the wireless communication detected for each of the aforementioned wireless communication interfaces, at least a first wireless communication interface and a second wireless communication interface among the plurality of wireless communication interfaces are simultaneously wirelessly connected to different network devices, and the first wireless communication via the first wireless communication interface is assigned as the primary line responsible for transmitting and receiving data between the mobile device and the remote terminal, and the second wireless communication via the second wireless communication interface is assigned as a backup line. Equipped with, The communication control unit is a wireless communication control system that dynamically switches the allocation between the active line and the backup line based on the future communication quality of the active line and the backup line.

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