Communication control system

Abstract

The present disclosure pertains to a communication device comprising: flow unit buffer parts that each store transmission data of a predetermined application; and a scheduler part that performs transmission control of the transmission data for each of the flow unit buffer parts. When an unused flow unit buffer part is present, the flow unit buffer part is deleted.

Description

Communication Control System

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a communication control system that controls communication for each application.

[0002] In recent years, studies have been underway to accommodate multiple communication services with various network requirements on the same network infrastructure. To achieve this, it is necessary to guarantee the quality required for each communication service in the end-to-end sections, from "terminal to terminal" or "terminal to application server."

[0003] The end-to-end of a network can be divided into wireless and wired sections. In particular, in the wireless section, a priority control function called Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) of IEEE 802.11 exists as an existing technology (see, for example, Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0004] EDCA is a terminal (destination)-based control system, and it is not possible to provide multiple communication services with different network requirements to the same terminal. Therefore, it is difficult to control quality on an application-by-application basis with EDCA. Therefore, a system has been proposed that provides a per-flow buffer unit for each application and performs scheduling for each per-flow buffer unit, thereby enabling quality control on an application-by-application basis (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 3).

[0005] IEEE 802.11e-2005 - IEEE Standard for Information technology--Local and metropolitan area networks--Specific requirements--Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications - Amendment 8: Medium Access Control (MAC) Quality of Service "IEEE802.11e: A Wireless LAN Standard for Enhanced QoS," Journal of the Institute of Image Information and Television Engineers, Vol. 57, No. 11 (2003). "Proposal of Quality Control Technology Using Centralized Control Independent of Wireless Networks," Yuki Sakagami, Kazuki Aiura, Tatsuya Fukui, Ryohei Tsugami, Tomohiro Taniguchi, Katsuya Minami, IEICE General Conference, B-6-5 (2021).

[0006] In Non-Patent Document 3, quality control can be performed on an application-by-application basis by providing a per-flow buffer unit for each application. However, providing a per-flow buffer unit for all applications that can be used in a terminal places a load on the terminal.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to reduce the load on terminals in a communication control system that performs quality control on an application-by-application basis.

[0008] The communication device of the present disclosure comprises a per-flow buffer unit that accumulates transmission data for a predetermined application, and a scheduler unit that controls the transmission of the transmission data for each per-flow buffer unit, and if there is an unused per-flow buffer unit, that per-flow buffer unit is deleted.

[0009] The method of the present disclosure is a method executed by the communication device of the present disclosure, and comprises the steps of: a per-flow buffer unit storing transmission data of a predetermined application; a scheduler unit controlling the transmission of the transmission data for each per-flow buffer unit; and a communication device deleting an unused per-flow buffer unit if any of the per-flow buffer units is present.

[0010] The present disclosure deletes unused per-flow buffer units when any of the per-flow buffer units is unused. This enables the communication control system of the present disclosure to reduce the load on terminals in a communication control system that performs quality control on an application-by-application basis.

[0011] The communication device of the present disclosure includes a database unit that links a flag in the transmission data to the flow-unit buffer unit, and an allocation unit that allocates the transmission data to the flow-unit buffer unit that is linked in the database unit based on the flag in the transmission data, and if there is an unused flow-unit buffer unit, the database unit may delete the description of the unused flow-unit buffer unit.

[0012] The communication device of the present disclosure may include an unregistered buffer unit that stores transmission data other than that of the predetermined application, and the scheduler unit may control the transmission of the transmission data for each of the flow-based buffer unit and the unregistered buffer unit.

[0013] The communication device of the present disclosure may include a counter unit that records the usage time of the per-flow buffer unit for each per-flow buffer unit, and may delete a per-flow buffer unit that has been in use for a predetermined period of time since the usage time of the counter unit.

[0014] The communication device according to the present disclosure may include a detection unit that detects the termination of an application, and may delete the per-flow buffer unit corresponding to the application detected by the detection unit.

[0015] A communication control system according to the present disclosure includes the communication device according to the present disclosure and a control device that performs transmission control of the communication device for each of the per-flow buffer units, wherein the scheduler unit provided in the communication device performs transmission control of the transmission data for each of the per-flow buffer units in accordance with instructions from the control device.

[0016] The communication device may be a terminal device that executes an application, or a relay device that relays between the terminal device and a communication partner.

[0017] The above disclosures can be combined as much as possible.

[0018] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the load on a terminal in a communication control system that performs quality control on an application-by-application basis.

[0019] 1 shows an example of the configuration of a communication control system according to the present disclosure. 2 shows an example of an application of a communication device according to the present disclosure to a terminal. 3 shows an example of an application of a communication device according to the present disclosure to an access point. 4 shows an example of an embodiment of a control device. 5 shows an example of a buffer management database provided in a database unit of a control device. 6 shows an example of a packet transmission flow in a terminal. 7 shows an example of a packet transmission flow in an access point. 8 shows an example of a scheduling flow in a control device. 9 shows an example of a counter unit in a terminal. 10 is a flow diagram showing an example of an embodiment of a method according to the present disclosure. 11 shows an example of a flag management database provided in a database unit of a control device. 12 shows an example of an application of a communication device according to the present disclosure to a terminal. 13 shows an example of a database unit in a terminal. 14 shows an example of the operation of a distribution unit in a terminal. 15 shows an example of a non-registration procedure in a terminal and a control device. 16 shows an example of a buffer management database provided in a database unit of a control device. 17 shows an example of a database unit in a terminal. 18 shows an example of an application of a communication device according to the present disclosure to an access point. 19 shows an example of an application of a communication device according to the present disclosure to a terminal. 19 is a flow diagram showing an example of an embodiment of a method according to the present disclosure.

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments shown below. These implementation examples are merely illustrative, and the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Note that components with the same reference numerals in this specification and drawings indicate the same components.

[0021] 1 shows an example of a system configuration according to the present disclosure. The communication control system according to the present disclosure is a system that executes communication control of communication devices connected to the same network infrastructure. In this embodiment, the network infrastructure is a wireless network 50, and the communication devices connected to the wireless network 50 are a plurality of terminals 10 and an access point 20.

[0022] The terminal 10 is a terminal device that executes an application. The access point 20 is a relay device that relays between the terminal 10 and a communication partner of the terminal 10. The access point 20 is connected to a public network via an upper network device 40. This allows each of the multiple terminals 10 to communicate with a communication partner such as a server according to the application.

[0023] 2 shows an example of the configuration of the terminal 10 of this embodiment. The terminal 10 includes a per-flow buffer unit 13 that accumulates transmission data of a predetermined application 14. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the application 14 transmits packets in which the transmission data is stored. Also shown is an example in which the terminal 10 uses the per-flow buffer unit 13 and a main signal buffer unit 12 for managing the order of transmission and reception in the main signal transmission / reception unit 11. In this way, the terminal 10 of this embodiment uses different applications 14 and per-flow buffer units 13 for different communication services and network requirements to be used.

[0024] The terminal 10 has a configuration for performing transmission control for each per-flow buffer unit 13. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the terminal 10 is provided with a packet amount notification unit 16 that notifies the amount of packets in the per-flow buffer unit 13, a control signal transmission / reception unit 17 that communicates with the control device 30, and a scheduler unit 15 that schedules packets stored in the per-flow buffer unit 13.

[0025] 3 shows an example of the configuration of the access point 20. The access point 20 has a configuration for performing communication for each application. In this embodiment, the configuration for performing communication for each application includes a per-flow buffer unit 23 that accumulates packets received by the upper-side main signal transmitting / receiving unit 24 for each application 14, and an example is shown in which a main signal buffer unit 22 is used to manage the order of transmission and reception in the lower-side main signal transmitting / receiving unit 21.

[0026] The access point 20 has a configuration for performing control from the control device 30. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the access point 20 is provided with a packet amount notification unit 26 that notifies the amount of packets in the per-flow buffer unit 23, a control signal transmission / reception unit 27 that communicates with the control device 30, and a scheduler unit 25 that schedules packets stored in the per-flow buffer unit 23.

[0027] 4 shows an example configuration of the control device 30. The control device 30 receives the amount of packets transmitted from the control signal transmission / reception units 17 and 27 using a control signal transmission / reception unit 31, and manages the amount of packets in the per-flow buffer units 13 and 23 in the terminal 10 and the access point 20 using a buffer management database provided in a database unit 33. Then, a scheduling unit 32 schedules packet transmissions from the terminal 10 and the access point 20 based on the buffer management database.

[0028] 5 shows an example of the buffer management database. The buffer management database manages the amount of packets for each per-flow buffer unit 13 and 23 provided in the terminal 10 and the access point 20. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the per-flow buffer units 13 and 23 are identified using node numbers, which are identifiers of the terminal 10 and the access point 20, and buffer numbers, which are identifiers of the per-flow buffer units 13 and 23.

[0029] The terminal 10 and the access point 20 of this embodiment are provided with unregistered buffer units 52 and 62 that store transmission data other than that of applications. These unregistered buffer units 52 and 62 have unique buffer numbers. This buffer number is arbitrary, but in this embodiment, it is referred to as "unregistered" for ease of understanding.

[0030] When a new application 51 is installed in a terminal 10, the per-flow buffer unit 13 to be used by the new application 51 is not determined. Therefore, the terminal 10 uses an unregistered buffer unit 52 instead of the per-flow buffer unit 13 to be used by the new application 51.

[0031] This configuration in the terminal 10 may be provided in all of the multiple terminals 10, but it is sufficient that it is provided in at least one of the multiple terminals 10. In the following embodiment, an example in which this configuration is provided in terminal 10#N will be described.

[0032] At the access point 20, if there is a packet of an application that does not correspond to any of the flow unit buffer units 23 among the packets received by the upper side main signal transmission / reception unit 24, the packet is output to the unregistered buffer unit 62.

[0033] In the following embodiment, an example is shown in which a communication control system controls communication for both the terminal 10 and the access point 20. That is, in a wireless network 50 in which a plurality of terminals 10 are connected to the access point 20, a control device 30 performs quality control for both the plurality of terminals 10 and the access point 20 for each of the per-flow buffer units 13 and 23 and for each of the unregistered buffer units 52 and 62.

[0034] 6 shows an example of a packet transmission flow in the terminal 10. When an application 14 transmits a packet (S111), the packet is stored in the per-flow buffer unit 13 defined for each application 14. When a new application 51 for which no per-flow buffer unit 13 is defined transmits a packet in step S111, the packet is allocated to the unregistered buffer unit 52 in step S112.

[0035] The packet amount notifying unit 16 notifies the control device 30 of the amount of packets stored in the per-flow buffer unit 13 and the unregistered buffer unit 52 (S113). Thereafter, the terminal 10 receives the packet transmission time and transmission duration from the control device 30 (S114). The scheduler unit 15 of the terminal 10 moves the packets stored in the per-flow buffer unit 13 and the unregistered buffer unit 52 to the main signal buffer unit 12 in accordance with the packet transmission time and transmission duration notified from the control device 30, and transmits them from the main signal transmitting / receiving unit 11 (S115).

[0036] 7 shows an example of a packet transmission flow in the access point 20. When the upper-side main signal transceiver 24 receives a packet (S121), it distributes the packet to the per-flow buffer units 23#1 to #K (S122). At this time, if there is a packet that cannot be distributed to the per-flow buffer units 23#1 to #K, it is distributed to the unregistered buffer unit 62. The packet amount notifying unit 26 notifies the control device 30 of the amount of packets stored in the per-flow buffer units 23#1 to #K and the unregistered buffer unit 62 (S123). When the scheduler unit 25 receives a packet transmission time and transmission duration from the control device 30 (S124), it moves the packets stored in the per-flow buffer units 23 and the unregistered buffer unit 62 to the main signal buffer unit 22 in accordance with the packet transmission time and transmission duration notified from the control device 30, and transmits them from the lower-side main signal transceiver 21 (S125).

[0037] 8 shows an example of a scheduling flow in the control device 30. When a packet amount is received from the terminal 10 or the access point 20 (S131), the received packet amount is stored in the buffer management database (S132). At this time, if the packet amount of the unregistered buffer units 52 and 62 is included, the buffer numbers of the unregistered buffer units 52 and 62 are entered as "unregistered." The scheduling unit 32 determines the transmission time and transmission duration for transmission by the terminal 10 and the access point 20 for each buffer number based on the buffer management database (S133). Then, the control signal transmitting / receiving unit 31 notifies the terminal 10 and the access point 20 of the packet transmission time and transmission duration for each buffer number determined by the scheduling unit 32 (S134).

[0038] As described above, in this embodiment, the terminal 10 and the access point 20 are provided with the unregistered buffer units 52 and 62, and the control device 30 also performs scheduling on packets stored in the unregistered buffer units 52 and 62. Therefore, in this embodiment, packet transmission control can be performed even if an application that is not registered in the database unit 33 of the control device 30 exists.

[0039] Here, in the present disclosure, the method of the present disclosure is executed in the terminal 10 including a per-flow buffer unit 13 and a scheduler unit 15, and in the access point 20 including a per-flow buffer unit 23 and a scheduler unit 25. Specifically, the method of the present disclosure is executed by the communication device of the present disclosure and comprises the following procedures: a procedure in which the per-flow buffer unit 13 or 23 stores transmission data of a predetermined application, a procedure in which the scheduler unit 15 or 25 performs transmission control of the transmission data for each per-flow buffer unit 13 or 23, and a procedure in which, if an unused per-flow buffer unit 13 or 23 exists, the communication device, either the terminal 10 or the access point 20, deletes the per-flow buffer unit 13 or 23.

[0040] Specifically, the terminal 10 includes a counter unit 55. An example of the counter unit 55 included in the terminal 10#N is shown in Fig. 9. The counter unit 55 records the use time of each per-flow buffer unit 13. In this manner, in this embodiment, the use time of each per-flow buffer unit 13 is managed, and a per-flow buffer unit 13 for which a predetermined time has elapsed since the use time of the counter unit 55 is determined. The operation of the terminal 10 will now be described with reference to Fig. 10.

[0041] The per-flow buffer unit 13#M notifies the packet amount notifying unit 16 of the amount of packets stored (S411). The packet amount notifying unit 16 notifies the counter unit 55 of the number #M of the per-flow buffer unit from which the packet amount notification was received and the time of use (S412). The counter unit records the notified number #M of the per-flow buffer unit and the time of use (S413). The counter unit 55 determines whether there is a per-flow buffer unit 13 that has not been used for a certain period of time (S414). When the counter unit 55 determines that the per-flow buffer unit 13#M has not been used, the terminal 10 deletes the per-flow buffer unit 13#M (S415).

[0042] Here, in step S414, as shown in Fig. 9, the counter unit 55 sets a time (timer) for determining that each per-flow buffer unit 13 is not in use. The counter unit 55 compares the difference between the current time and the time of use with the timer. If the difference is greater than the timer, the per-flow buffer unit 13 with that per-flow buffer number is deleted.

[0043] 9, the access point 20 also includes a counter unit 65 that records the usage time of the per-flow buffer unit 23 for each per-flow buffer unit 23. As a result, like the terminal 10, the access point 20 also deletes a per-flow buffer unit 23 for which a time period determined for each application has elapsed since the usage time of the counter unit 65.

[0044] As described above, in this embodiment, the terminal 10 and the access point 20 are provided with the counter units 55 and 65, and the per-flow buffer units 13 and 23 are deleted after a predetermined time has elapsed since the time of use. As a result, this embodiment can reduce the load on the terminal 10 in a communication control system that performs quality control on an application-by-application basis.

[0045] The communication control system of this embodiment also includes unregistered buffer units 52 and 62 in the terminal 10 and the access point 20, and the control device 30 also performs scheduling on packets stored in the unregistered buffer units 52 and 62. Therefore, the communication control system of this embodiment can control packet transmission even if an application that is not registered in the database unit 33 of the control device 30 exists.

[0046] Second Embodiment The application 14 of this embodiment sets a flag for each application and stores it in a packet. The flag can be any information that can identify the application. For example, the flag can be a ToS value in an IP header, a CoS value in an Ethernet frame, a source IP address, a source port number, a destination IP address, a destination port number, a protocol number, or a combination of these.

[0047] The database 33 of the control device 30 includes a flag management database that manages a list of flags that can be used within the system. As shown in FIG. 11 , the flag management database manages the location of a flag in packet information and the flag value written in that location. For example, if the flag is a ToS value in the IP header, the location of the flag is the ToS field in the IP header, and the flag value is the value written in the ToS field. Here, any information about the packet may be included instead of or in addition to the location of the flag in the packet information. In this embodiment, this information is used to determine whether to add per-flow buffer units 13 and 23.

[0048] Fig. 12 shows an example of the configuration of the terminal 10 of this embodiment. In addition to the configuration of the first embodiment, the terminal 10 includes a database unit 53 and a distribution unit 54. The distribution unit 54 performs distribution according to the settings of the database unit 53. Fig. 13 shows an example of the database unit 53 in the terminal 10. The database unit 53 holds distribution settings to the per-flow buffer unit 13 and the unregistered buffer unit 52 for flags. For example, the database unit 53 sets the node number of the terminal 10 and the buffer numbers of the per-flow buffer unit 13 and the unregistered buffer unit 52 for each flag.

[0049] If there is a new flag that is not defined in the database unit 53, the allocating unit 54 inquires of the external control device 30 about whether to add a per-flow buffer unit 13. Then, if the allocating unit 54 receives a response from the control device 30 indicating that a per-flow buffer unit 13 will be added, the allocating unit 54 adds a per-flow buffer unit 13#M+1 having the buffer number obtained in the response, and links the buffer number of the added per-flow buffer unit 13#M+1 to the new flag in the database unit 53.

[0050] When a new application 51 is installed in the terminal 10, the per-flow buffer unit 13 to be used by the new application 51 is not determined. Therefore, the distribution unit 54 can use the unregistered buffer unit 52 instead of the per-flow buffer unit 13 to be used by the new application 51.

[0051] 14 shows an example of the operation of the distribution unit 54. When the distribution unit 54 receives a packet (S211), it reads the flag in the packet (S212) and checks in the database unit 53 whether there is a per-flow buffer unit 13 linked to the flag (S213). If the flag is linked to a per-flow buffer unit 13 (Yes in S213), the distribution unit 54 distributes the packet to the per-flow buffer unit 13 returned from the database unit 53 (S214). If the flag in the packet is not registered in the database unit 53 (No in step S213), the distribution unit 54 distributes the packet to the unregistered buffer unit 52 (S215).

[0052] In this embodiment, in step S213, if the flag in the packet is not registered in the database unit 53 (No in step S213), an unregistered procedure is executed. For example, when new applications 51#1 and 51#2 transmit packets, values ​​corresponding to the flags contained in these packets are not registered in the database unit 53. When transmitting these packets, the communication control system of this embodiment executes the following process.

[0053] 15 shows an example of an unregistered procedure in the terminal 10 and the control device 30. The distribution unit 54 transmits information about a packet including a flag that is not registered in the database unit 53 to the control device 30 (S311).

[0054] The control device 30 checks (S321) whether the information of the received packet matches the information registered in the flag management database of the database unit 33. If the information is registered in the flag management database (Yes in step S321), the control device 30 determines to add a per-flow buffer unit 13 (S322).

[0055] In step S322, the control device 30 determines a flag and the buffer number of the per-flow buffer unit 13 associated with it. For example, it determines that a per-flow buffer unit 13 with buffer number O is to be added to flag Fo in the terminal 10#N. As a result, buffer number O of the terminal 10#N is registered in the buffer management database of the database unit 33 shown in Fig. 16. The control device 30 notifies the terminal 10 of the flag and the buffer number of the per-flow buffer unit 13 associated with it (S323).

[0056] 17, the allocation unit 54 of the terminal 10 registers the flag Fo and the buffer number O of the newly created per-flow buffer unit 13 in the database unit 53 (S312). Accordingly, the terminal 10 adds a per-flow buffer unit 13 #M+1 with buffer number O (S312).

[0057] The distribution unit 54 distributes the packet with flag Fo for which it has inquired to the control device 30 to the per-flow buffer unit 13 with buffer number O (S112). For example, when flag Fo is stored in a packet from new application 51#2, the distribution unit 54 distributes the packet to per-flow buffer unit 13#M+1. The subsequent procedures are the same as steps S113 to S115.

[0058] If the control device 30 does not have a corresponding flag registered in the flag management database (No in step S321), the control device 30 notifies the terminal 10 that the corresponding flag does not exist (S324). In this case, the distribution unit 54 of the terminal 10 distributes the packet to the unregistered buffer unit 52, as in step S215 (S112). For example, the distribution unit 54 distributes packets from the new application 51#2 to the unregistered buffer unit 52. The subsequent steps are the same as steps S113 to S115.

[0059] When a packet similar to the packet for which the distribution unit 54 was notified in step S324 that the corresponding flag does not exist arrives again, the distribution unit 54 may not need to check with the control device 30. In addition, information about the packet for which the corresponding flag does not exist may be recorded in the database unit 53.

[0060] If there are multiple new applications, confirmation may be made with the control device 30 for each of them, and multiple flow-based buffer units 13 may be newly installed.

[0061] 18 shows an example of the configuration of the access point 20. In addition to the configuration of the first embodiment, the access point 20 of this embodiment includes a database unit 63 and a distribution unit 64. The distribution unit 64, like the distribution unit 54, performs distribution in accordance with the settings of the database unit 63. If a packet of an application that does not correspond to any of the per-flow buffer units 23 is present among the packets received by the upper-level main signal transmitting / receiving unit 24, the distribution unit 64 outputs the packet to the unregistered buffer unit 62.

[0062] The database unit 63 is similar to the database unit 53 in the terminal 10, and holds allocation settings for the per-flow buffer unit 23 in response to flags. For example, the database unit 63 sets, for each flag, the node number of the access point 20 and the buffer number of the per-flow buffer unit 23. The allocation unit 64 registers flag information in the database unit 63 based on information from the control device 30, and creates a new per-flow buffer unit 23.

[0063] In this way, the communication control system of this embodiment can add a per-flow buffer 13 to each terminal 10 by registering the flags of the applications 14 that are expected to be executed in each terminal 10 in the flag management database of the database unit 33. Therefore, by adopting this embodiment, it becomes possible to automatically perform quality control for new applications 14 that are added to the terminal 10. Furthermore, the number of unregistered buffers in each terminal 10 can be minimized.

[0064] 10, if the difference is greater than the timer, the database unit 53 notifies it of the per-flow buffer number #M. Then, in step S415, the database unit 53 deletes the notified per-flow buffer number #M from the database unit 53.

[0065] As described above, this embodiment provides the terminal 10 and the access point 20 with the counter units 55 and 65, and deletes the entries in the per-flow buffer units 13 and 23 for which a predetermined time has elapsed since the time of use, and the corresponding database units 53 and 63. This makes it possible to reduce the load on the terminal 10 in a communication control system that performs quality control on an application-by-application basis.

[0066] (Third embodiment) In order to reduce the load on the terminal 10, if there is an application 14 that has not been used for a certain period of time among the running applications 14, the terminal 10 may perform processing to terminate the application 14 that has not been used for a certain period of time. Also, the user may manually force-terminate the application 14. Therefore, in this embodiment, the termination of the application 14 is detected in the second embodiment, and the information in the per-flow buffer unit 13 and the database unit 53 that corresponds to the terminated application 14 is deleted.

[0067] 19 shows an example of the configuration of the terminal 10 of this embodiment. The terminal 10 includes a detection unit 56 instead of the counter unit 55. The detection unit 56 can be any means capable of detecting the termination of the application 14.

[0068] 20 shows an example of the operation of the terminal 10 when a new application 51#2 launched in the second embodiment is forcibly terminated. When the detection unit 56 detects the termination of the new application 51#2, it notifies the database unit 53 to delete information from the per-flow buffer unit 13#M (S421). As a result, the column for the per-flow buffer unit 13#M is deleted from the database unit 53. Furthermore, when the detection unit 56 detects the termination of the new application 51#2, it deletes the per-flow buffer unit 13#M (S422).

[0069] As described above, in this embodiment, the end of the application 14 is detected, and the information in the database unit 53 and the per-flow buffer unit 13 are deleted. This makes it possible to immediately delete unused per-flow buffer units 13 and the information of unused per-flow buffer units 13 in the database unit 53.

[0070] Other Embodiments The terminal 10, the access point 20, and the control device 30 of the present disclosure can also be realized by a computer and a program, and the program can be recorded on a recording medium or provided via a network.

[0071] The present disclosure has shown an example in which both multiple terminals 10 and access points 20 have unregistered buffer units, but the communication control system of the present disclosure may be configured so that either one of the terminals 10 or the access points 20 has an unregistered buffer unit.

[0072] Furthermore, the wireless network 50 may be any communication network available to the terminal 10. The access point 20 may be any relay device depending on the communication network used by the terminal 10. The terminal 10 may be any terminal device that can use a communication network.

[0073] 10: Terminal 11: Main signal transmitting / receiving unit 12, 22: Main signal buffer unit 13, 23: Per-flow buffer unit 14: Application 15, 25: Scheduler unit 16, 26: Packet amount notification unit 17, 27: Control signal transmitting / receiving unit 20: Access point 21: Lower-level main signal transmitting / receiving unit 24: Upper-level main signal transmitting / receiving unit 30: Control device 31: Control signal transmitting / receiving unit 32: Scheduling unit 33: Database unit 40: Upper network device 50: Wireless network 51: New application 52, 62: Unregistered buffer unit 53, 63: Database unit 54, 64: Distribution unit 55, 65: Counter unit 56: Detection unit

Claims

1. A communications device comprising: a per-flow buffer unit that accumulates transmission data for a predetermined application; and a scheduler unit that controls the transmission of the transmission data for each of the per-flow buffer units; and, if any of the per-flow buffer units is unused, deletes that per-flow buffer unit.

2. A communications device as described in claim 1, comprising: a database unit that links a flag in the transmission data to the flow unit buffer unit; and an allocation unit that allocates the transmission data to the flow unit buffer unit linked in the database unit based on the flag in the transmission data, wherein if an unused flow unit buffer unit is present, the database unit deletes any description of the unused flow unit buffer unit.

3. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising an unregistered buffer unit that accumulates transmission data other than that of the predetermined application, wherein the scheduler unit controls transmission of the transmission data for each of the per-flow buffer unit and the unregistered buffer unit.

4. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a counter unit that records the use time of said flow unit buffer unit for each of said flow unit buffer units, and deletes a flow unit buffer unit for which a predetermined time has elapsed since the use time of said counter unit.

5. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a detection unit that detects the termination of an application, and deletes the per-flow buffer unit corresponding to the application detected by the detection unit.

6. A communication control system comprising: a communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 5; and a control device which performs transmission control of said communication device for each of said flow unit buffer units, wherein said scheduler unit provided in said communication device performs transmission control of said transmission data for each of said flow unit buffer units in accordance with instructions from said control device.

7. The communication control system according to claim 6, wherein the communication device is a terminal device that executes an application, or a relay device that relays between the terminal device and a communication partner.

8. A method comprising: a step in which a per-flow buffer unit accumulates transmission data for a predetermined application; a step in which a scheduler unit controls the transmission of the transmission data for each per-flow buffer unit; and a step in which a communications device deletes an unused per-flow buffer unit if any of the per-flow buffer units is present.