Terminal device for communication, method executed in terminal device for communication, and program

Abstract

A terminal device for communication according to the present invention comprises: a reception means that receives a signal from at least one communication device in the surroundings of the terminal device for communication; and a generation means that, on the basis of the received signal, generates a map indicating the degree of communication congestion in the surroundings of the terminal device for communication. In one embodiment, the terminal device for communication further comprises an execution means that executes an action which is based on the map, wherein the action includes communicating with a desired communication device or deploying a relay apparatus for communication.

Description

Communication terminal device, method and program executed in the communication terminal device

[0001] The present invention relates to a communication terminal device, a method and a program executed in the communication terminal device, and more particularly to a communication terminal device that uses a map indicating the degree of communication congestion.

[0002] Although communications at sea are not as well equipped as those on land and communications at sea are not as free as those on land, attempts have been made to promote communications at sea (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent No. 7221576

[0004] One of the objects of the present invention is to facilitate communication on the sea, etc.

[0005] In order to facilitate communication at sea, etc., the present invention generates a map showing the degree of communication congestion around a communication terminal device and / or performs an action based on the map showing the degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device.

[0006] The present invention provides, for example, the following items: (Item 1) A communication terminal device comprising: a receiving means for receiving a signal from at least one communication device surrounding the communication terminal device; and a generating means for generating a map indicating a degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device based on the received signal. (Item 2) The communication terminal device according to the above items, wherein the receiving means receives a signal from the at least one communication device located at a position different from the communication terminal device in at least a vertical direction, and the map generated by the generating means indicates a degree of communication congestion in at least the vertical direction. (Item 3) The communication terminal device according to any one of the above items, wherein the communication terminal device is mounted on a moving body on water, and the at least one communication device is mounted on a moving body in space, the air, or underwater. 4. The communication terminal device according to any one of the above items, further comprising: execution means for executing an action based on the map, the action including communicating with a desired communication device, the execution means being configured to: determine, based on the map, whether to communicate directly with the desired communication device, and, if it is determined to communicate directly with the desired communication device, perform the direct communication with the desired communication device; and, if it is determined not to communicate directly, determine, based on the map, a relay communication device for communication with the desired communication device and perform indirect communication with the desired communication device via the relay communication device. (Item 5) The communication terminal device according to any one of the above items, further comprising: execution means for executing an action based on the map, the action including deploying a repeater for communication, the execution means being configured to: determine, based on the map, a location where the repeater should be deployed, and instruct the repeater or a means for moving the repeater to move to the location.(Item 6) A communication terminal device comprising: a receiving means for receiving a map indicating a degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device; and a communication means for communicating with a desired communication device based on the map, wherein the communication means is configured to: determine, based on the map, whether to communicate directly with the desired communication device, and if it is decided to communicate directly with the desired communication device, perform the direct communication with the desired communication device, and if it is decided not to communicate directly, determine, based on the map, a relay communication device for communication with the desired communication device, and perform indirect communication with the desired communication device via the relay communication device. (Item 7) A communication terminal device comprising: a receiving means for receiving a map indicating a degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device, and a deployment means for deploying a communication repeater based on the map, wherein the deployment means is configured to: determine, based on the map, a location where the repeater should be deployed, and instruct the repeater or a means for moving the repeater to move to the location. (Item 8) The communication terminal device according to any one of the above items, wherein the map indicates a degree of communication congestion in at least a vertical direction. (Item 9) A method executed in a communication terminal device, comprising: receiving a signal from at least one communication device surrounding the communication terminal device; and generating a map indicating a degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device based on the received signal. (Item 10) A program executed in a communication terminal device, the program being executed by a processor included in the communication terminal device, the program causing the processor to perform processes including: receiving a signal from at least one communication device surrounding the communication terminal device; and generating a map indicating a degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device based on the received signal. (Item 10A) A computer-readable tangible storage medium storing the program according to item 10.(Item 11) A method executed in a communication terminal device, comprising: receiving a map indicating a degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device; and communicating with a desired communication device based on the map, wherein the communicating includes: determining, based on the map, whether to communicate directly with the desired communication device; and, if it is determined to communicate directly, communicating directly with the desired communication device; and, if it is determined not to communicate directly, determining, based on the map, a relay communication device for communicating with the desired communication device, and communicating indirectly with the desired communication device via the relay communication device. (Item 12) A program executed in a communication terminal device, the program being executed by a processor included in the communication terminal device, the program causing the processor to perform processing including: receiving a map indicating a communication congestion degree around the communication terminal device; and communicating with a desired communication device based on the map, wherein the communicating includes: determining, based on the map, whether to communicate directly with the desired communication device, and if it is determined to communicate directly, communicating directly with the desired communication device, and if it is determined not to communicate directly, determining, based on the map, a relay communication device for communication with the desired communication device, and communicating indirectly with the desired communication device via the relay communication device. (Item 12A) A computer-readable tangible storage medium storing the program according to item 12. (Item 13) A method executed in a communication terminal device, comprising: receiving a map indicating a degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device; and deploying a communication repeater based on the map, wherein the deploying includes: determining a location where the repeater should be deployed based on the map; and instructing the repeater or a means for moving the repeater to move to the location.(Item 14) A program executed in a communications terminal device, the program being executed by a processor included in the communications terminal device, the program causing the processor to perform processing including: receiving a map indicating a degree of communication congestion around the communications terminal device; and deploying a communications repeater based on the map, the deploying including: determining, based on the map, a location where the repeater should be deployed; and instructing the repeater or a means for moving the repeater to move to the location. (Item 14A) A computer-readable tangible storage medium storing the program according to item 14.

[0007] The present invention makes it possible to take predetermined actions using a map showing the degree of communication congestion around a communication terminal device. For example, it is possible to grasp which directions around the communication terminal device are congested and which directions are clear, and to take appropriate communication actions. This can promote communication at sea, etc., and contribute to the development of communication technology fields such as maritime communication.

[0008] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of indirect communication with a desired communication device; FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of deploying a communication repeater; FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of generating a map based on information from a central base station; FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a communication system 1000; FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a communication terminal device 100; FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a processor unit 120; FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a processor unit 120A that is an alternative embodiment of the processor unit 120; FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a processor unit 120B that is an alternative embodiment of the processor unit 120; FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an example of a map generated by the communication system 100;

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] 1. Maritime communications using a map showing the degree of communication congestion After extensive research, the inventor of the present invention has developed a method for promoting communications at sea. This method uses a map showing the degree of communication congestion around a communication terminal device that is communicating, and takes a predetermined action. By referring to the map showing the degree of communication congestion, it is possible to determine which directions around the communication terminal device are congested and which directions are clear, and to take appropriate action regarding communication.

[0011] In one example, the action is, for example, communicating with a desired communication device, and by referring to a map showing the degree of communication congestion, it is possible to determine whether to communicate directly with the desired communication device or to communicate indirectly via a relay communication device, and to communicate directly or indirectly with the desired communication device.

[0012] 1A is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of indirect communication with a desired communication device, in which a vessel S1 equipped with a first communication terminal communicates with a vessel S2 equipped with a second communication terminal.

[0013] The first communication terminal device of the vessel S1 and the second communication terminal device of the vessel S2 intermittently transmit signals including their own attribute information. The attribute information includes at least their own location information. The location information may be two-dimensional information indicating latitude and longitude, but if the vessel S1 or the vessel S2 is a submarine or the like navigating underwater or an aircraft or the like navigating in the sky, the location information may be three-dimensional information indicating latitude, longitude, and altitude or depth. The attribute information may include, for example, time information indicating the time the signal was transmitted, or information about communication devices around the vessel (e.g., information about surrounding base stations that could be received at the most recent timestamp, a map showing communication congestion levels that was previously generated, etc.).

[0014] The first communication terminal device of the vessel S1 and the second communication terminal device of the vessel S2 continuously receive signals transmitted from surrounding communication devices. As described above, the surrounding communication devices transmit signals including their own attribute information, and the first communication terminal device of the vessel S1 and the second communication terminal device of the vessel S2 receive signals including the attribute information transmitted from the surrounding communication devices. For example, the first communication terminal device of the vessel S1 receives a signal including the attribute information of the second communication terminal device transmitted from the second communication terminal device of the vessel S2, and the second communication terminal device of the vessel S2 receives a signal including the attribute information of the first communication terminal device transmitted from the first communication terminal device of the vessel S1.

[0015] The first communication terminal measures the received signal strength (RSSI) from the signal received from the second communication terminal, where RSSI is a value indicating the strength of the received signal.

[0016] The first communication terminal device evaluates (assigns a level to) the measured RSSI based on a predetermined standard and plots the RSSI evaluation or level at spatial coordinates on a map specified from the location information of the second communication terminal device. Specifically, the map is divided into a plurality of cells (i.e., sections having a predetermined latitudinal width and a predetermined longitudinal width, or sections having a predetermined latitudinal width, a predetermined longitudinal width, and a predetermined height), and the RSSI evaluation or level is plotted in the cell in which the second communication terminal device is located among the plurality of cells. This allows the communication strength at the location of the second communication terminal device to be displayed on the map.

[0017] The first communication terminal device can generate a map showing the degree of communication congestion in the surrounding area by repeatedly receiving signals from surrounding communication devices, measuring and evaluating RSSI, and plotting the results at positions on the map identified from the location information. In this case, it is preferable that the surrounding communication devices are at a different altitude or depth from the first communication terminal device. This is because the location information transmitted from the surrounding communication devices becomes three-dimensional information, and the resulting map is a three-dimensional map. A three-dimensional map is preferable because it enables actions that take altitude or depth information into account.

[0018] For example, a similar process is performed in the second communication terminal device, which is the communication partner, to generate a map showing the degree of communication congestion around the second communication terminal device. During the map generation process or after the map is generated, it is preferable to mutually validate the RSSI information by exchanging RSSI information between the first communication terminal device and the second communication terminal device. Since communication from the first communication terminal device to the second communication terminal device and communication from the second communication terminal device to the first communication terminal device are assumed to follow the same route, the RSSI at the first communication terminal device should be the same as the RSSI at the second communication terminal device. However, if the mutual RSSI information differs when mutual validation is performed, it is considered that some kind of noise has occurred, and the reliability of the map between the first communication terminal device and the second communication terminal device can be treated as low. Alternatively, when mutual confirmation is performed, if the RSSI in communication from the first communication terminal device to the second communication terminal device is good (RSSI is high), while the RSSI in communication from the second communication terminal device to the first communication terminal device is poor (RSSI is low), it can be assumed that there are other communication terminal devices in the vicinity of the second communication terminal device and communication is congested, so the communication congestion level in the vicinity of the second communication terminal device can be revised upward in the communication congestion level map being generated or after generation.

[0019] The first communication terminal device will use the generated map to determine whether to communicate directly or indirectly with the desired communication device (in this example, the second communication terminal device).

[0020] For example, if the map indicates that the communication congestion level in the direction of the second communication terminal is low, the first communication terminal may operate to communicate directly with the second communication terminal. However, if the map indicates that the communication congestion level in the direction of the second communication terminal is high (e.g., if the communication congestion level is high at 1 o'clock from the vessel S1 as shown in FIG. 1A(a)), the first communication terminal may operate to communicate indirectly with the second communication terminal because it is assumed that communication with the second communication terminal at an appropriate speed will not be possible.

[0021] In this case, as shown in FIG. 1A(b), the first communication terminal device of the vessel S1 performs indirect communication via the third communication terminal device of the vessel S3. Specifically, the first communication terminal device first determines a direction with low communication congestion around the second communication terminal device. Then, a search is performed to determine whether a communication device capable of operating as a relay communication device exists in the determined direction. For example, if the vessel S3 is located in a direction with low communication congestion, the third communication terminal device installed on the vessel S3 is determined to be a relay communication device and transmits a signal to be transmitted to the second communication terminal device to the third communication terminal device. Next, the third communication terminal device transmits the signal received from the first communication terminal device to the second communication terminal device. At this time, the third communication terminal device may, for example, add some information to the signal before transmitting it to the second communication terminal device, or may reflect the transmitted signal and transmit the transmitted signal directly to the second communication terminal device.

[0022] In this example, the first communication terminal device uses the generated map to determine whether to communicate directly or indirectly with the second communication terminal device, and also to search for a relay communication device when performing indirect communication. This allows communication at an appropriate speed to be achieved by performing indirect communication even when direct communication is not possible. This is particularly useful in sea areas where ships and the like are concentrated.

[0023] In the above example, the relay communication device is described as a communication terminal device mounted on the ship S3, but the relay communication device is not limited to a communication terminal device mounted on a ship. The relay communication device may be, for example, a stationary device (e.g., a fixed terrestrial communication station or a fixed buoy), a mobile body (e.g., terrestrial mobility, maritime mobility, undersea mobility (e.g., a submarine), or air mobility (e.g., a drone, an artificial satellite, a missile, etc.)), or a portable terminal.

[0024] In another example, the action may be, for example, deploying a repeater for communication, and the repeater may be deployed to relieve the communication congestion by referring to a map showing the degree of communication congestion.

[0025] 1B is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of deploying a communication repeater. In this example, a ship S1 equipped with a first communication terminal device is described as deploying a repeater R. In this example, a drone is described as the repeater R, but the repeater R is not limited to this. The repeater R may be any mobile object (e.g., land mobility, sea mobility, undersea mobility (e.g., submarine), air mobility (e.g., drone, satellite, missile, etc.)). Preferably, the repeater R may be a mobile object navigating at a different altitude or depth from the first communication terminal device.

[0026] As described above, the first communication terminal device of the ship S1 generates a map indicating the degree of communication congestion in the surrounding area based on signals received from surrounding communication devices.

[0027] The first communication terminal device can use the generated map to determine where the repeater R should be deployed and instruct the repeater R to move to the determined location.

[0028] For example, if the map indicates that communication congestion is high in some directions around the first communication terminal device (e.g., if communication congestion is high horizontally at 12 o'clock and 2 o'clock from ship S1, as shown in Figure 1B(a)), the first communication terminal device can operate to deploy a repeater R to improve communication quality in that direction.

[0029] At this time, as shown in Figure 1B(b), the first communication terminal device of the ship S1 moves the repeater R so that it is deployed at the 1 o'clock direction. For example, when the degree of communication congestion in the horizontal direction is high, the repeater R can be deployed at a higher altitude than the first communication terminal device, avoiding the same altitude as the first communication terminal device. This allows the first communication terminal device to communicate at the 1 o'clock direction via the repeater R in the sky.

[0030] In this example, the first communication terminal device uses the generated map to determine where to deploy the repeater R. This makes it possible to achieve communication at an appropriate speed via the repeater even in a direction where communication is congested and communication at an appropriate speed is not possible. This is particularly useful in sea areas where ships are densely packed.

[0031] In the above example, it was explained that the first communication terminal device and the second communication terminal device each generate a map based on signals received in communication between them, but the map may also be generated based on information from a central base station that has previously collected information indicating the RSSI with surrounding communication terminals.

[0032] 1C is a diagram illustrating an example of generating a map based on information from a central base station. In this example, the central base station C is shown as a base station on the sea (e.g., a buoy). Examples of the central base station C are not limited to this and may be, for example, a land-based base station, an air-based base station, or an underwater base station.

[0033] The central base station C communicates with a first communication terminal device mounted on the vessel S1, a second communication terminal device mounted on the vessel S2, and a third communication terminal device mounted on the vessel S3. Similar to the communication between the first and second communication terminal devices described above, the central base station C receives attribute information of each communication terminal device from each communication terminal device and measures the RSSI of the signal. The measured RSSI evaluation or level is then plotted at spatial coordinates on a map identified from the location information of each communication terminal device. Specifically, the map is divided into multiple cells (i.e., sections having a predetermined latitudinal width and a predetermined longitudinal width, or sections having a predetermined latitudinal width, a predetermined longitudinal width, and a predetermined height), and the RSSI evaluation or level from each communication terminal device is plotted in the cell in which the communication terminal device is located. This generates a map showing the degree of communication congestion around the central base station C.

[0034] The map showing the degree of communication congestion around the central base station C is transmitted to each of the first communication terminal device mounted on the vessel S1, the second communication terminal device mounted on the vessel S2, and the third communication terminal device mounted on the vessel S3. Each of the first communication terminal device, the second communication terminal device, and the third communication terminal device can use the received map to generate a map showing the degree of communication congestion around itself.

[0035] For example, in the case of a first communication terminal device mounted on ship S1, the degree of communication congestion on the side of central base station C from ship S1 (i.e., to the right of ship S1 on the drawing) can be represented by a map transmitted from central base station C. Therefore, the first communication terminal device only needs to generate a map that indicates the degree of communication congestion in the area around itself that is not represented on the map transmitted from central base station C (i.e., to the left of ship S1 on the drawing). Similarly, in the case of a second communication terminal device mounted on ship S2 and a third communication terminal device mounted on ship S3, each communication terminal device only needs to generate a map that indicates the degree of communication congestion in the area that is not represented on the map transmitted from central base station C.

[0036] In this way, by generating a map of the non-overlapping portion with the map transmitted from the central base station C, the process for generating the map can be simplified and the load on each communication terminal device can be reduced.

[0037] Although the above examples generally describe communications on the sea, the present invention is not limited to communications on the sea. Naturally, the present invention can be applied to ships that navigate any body of water, such as rivers and lakes, in addition to the sea. Furthermore, the present invention can be applied to communications between objects located on the water, underwater, on land, or in the air, such as land-to-land communications, land-to-water communications, land-to-surface communications, land-to-underwater communications, and underwater-to-surface communications.

[0038] The above-described communication terminal device can be realized in, for example, the following communication system.

[0039] 2. Configuration of the Communication System FIG. 2 shows an example of the configuration of the communication system 1000.

[0040] The communication system 1000 includes a communication terminal device 100 mounted on a ship S and a communication terminal device 100 mounted on a central base station C, which are connected via a network N. In addition to the ship S and the central base station C, the communication system 1000 may also include communication terminal devices mounted on mobile bodies that navigate underwater (e.g., submarines), mobile bodies that move on land (e.g., automobiles), mobile bodies that move in the air (e.g., drones, airplanes, missiles), and mobile bodies that move in space (e.g., artificial satellites, space shuttles), etc. These communication terminal devices can be connected via the network N.

[0041] The network N may be any network, and preferably may be a VDES (VHF Data Exchange System) standard network. The network N may be configured as a single network or multiple networks. For example, the network N may include a first network (e.g., a VDES standard network) for communication between ships S, and a second network (e.g., a satellite communication network) for communication between the ships S and an artificial satellite. For example, the first network may be used for horizontal communications (e.g., land-to-land communications, land-to-water communications, and water-to-water communications), and the second network may be used for vertical communications (land-to-surface space communications, land-to-underwater communications, and underwater-to-surface space communications).

[0042] FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of the communication terminal device 100. As shown in FIG.

[0043] The communication terminal device 100 includes an interface unit 110, a processor unit 120, and a memory unit 130.

[0044] The interface unit 110 controls communication between the communication terminal device 100 and the outside of the communication terminal device 100. The processor unit 120 of the communication terminal device 100 can receive information from the outside of the communication terminal device 100 via the interface unit 110 and can transmit information to the outside of the communication terminal device 100. The processor unit 120 of the communication terminal device 100 can receive signals from other communication devices and transmit signals to other communication devices via the interface unit 110. For example, the processor unit 120 can receive signals from the communication terminal device 100 of another ship S or another mobile body and transmit signals to the communication terminal device 100 of the other ship S or another mobile body. For example, the processor unit 120 can receive signals from the communication terminal device 100 of a central base station C and transmit signals to the communication terminal device 100 of the central base station C. The other communication devices may be, for example, a land-based base station or a server device. The interface unit 110 can control communication in any manner.

[0045] The processor unit 120 controls the overall operation of the communication terminal device 100. The processor unit 120 reads and executes a program stored in the memory unit 130. This allows the communication terminal device 100 to function as a device that executes desired steps. The processor unit 120 may be implemented by a single processor or by multiple processors.

[0046] The memory unit 130 stores programs required for the execution of processes by the communication terminal device 100 and data required for the execution of the programs. For example, part or all of a program for generating a map showing the degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device or a program for executing an action based on the map showing the degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device (e.g., a program for implementing the process shown in FIG. 6 , described below) is stored. Here, how the program is stored in the memory unit 130 is not important. For example, the program may be pre-installed in the memory unit 130. Alternatively, the program may be installed in the memory unit 130 by being downloaded via a network. The program may be stored on a computer-readable tangible storage medium. The memory unit 130 may be implemented by any storage means.

[0047] The communication terminal device 100 may be connected to a database unit (not shown). The database unit may store, for example, a generated map indicating the degree of communication congestion in the surrounding area. Alternatively, the database unit may store signals received from surrounding communication devices, their RSSIs, or their evaluation values ​​(e.g., levels).

[0048] Fig. 4A shows an example of the configuration of the processor unit 120. In the example shown in Fig. 4A, the processor unit 120 has a configuration for generating a map showing the degree of communication congestion in the surrounding area.

[0049] The processor unit 120 includes a receiving unit 121 and a generating unit 122 .

[0050] The receiving means 121 is configured to receive a signal from at least one communication device around the communication terminal device 100. The at least one communication device around the communication terminal device 100 may be any communication device, and may be a communication terminal device mounted on a mobile object around the communication terminal device 100, or may be a communication device installed in a base station or the like.

[0051] The signal may be, for example, a signal transmitted intermittently or continuously from the communication device, and may include, for example, a signal including attribute information of the communication device. The attribute information of the communication device includes at least location information of the communication device. The location information may be two-dimensional information indicating latitude and longitude, or may be three-dimensional information indicating latitude, longitude, and altitude or depth. Preferably, the location information may be three-dimensional information, which allows the processor unit 120 to generate a three-dimensional map.

[0052] Therefore, it is preferable that the receiving means 121 receives a signal from a communication device whose altitude or depth (i.e., vertical position) is different from that of the communication terminal device. This allows the processor unit 120 to generate a map indicating the degree of communication congestion in at least the vertical direction. A map indicating the degree of communication congestion in at least the vertical direction is preferable because it enables actions that take into account altitude or depth information. More preferably, the map may be a map indicating the degree of communication congestion in both the vertical and horizontal directions (i.e., three dimensions).

[0053] For this purpose, in a preferred example, the communication terminal device is mounted, for example, on a surface vehicle (e.g., a ship), and at least one communication device may be mounted on a space vehicle (e.g., a satellite), an air vehicle (e.g., a drone, an aircraft), or an underwater vehicle (e.g., a submarine).

[0054] The attribute information of a communication device may include, for example, time information indicating the time when the communication device transmitted a signal, or information about communication devices surrounding the communication device (for example, information about surrounding base stations that could be received at the most recent timestamp, a map showing the degree of communication congestion generated in the past, etc.).

[0055] The signal may be, for example, a signal transmitted after a handshake between the communication terminal and the communication device. This signal may include, for example, information (e.g., RSSI) indicating the strength of the signal received by the communication device from the communication terminal before the handshake. The information indicating the strength of the signal received by the communication device from the communication terminal before the handshake can be used later to verify the reliability of the RSSI measured from the signal received by the receiving means 121.

[0056] The signal received by the receiving means 121 is passed to the generating means 122 .

[0057] The generating means 122 is configured to generate a map indicating the degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device based on the received signal.

[0058] The generating means 122 can generate a map using, for example, the RSSI measured from the signal received by the receiving means 121. Specifically, the generating means 122 first measures the RSSI of the received signal. The generating means 122 can measure the RSSI using techniques known in the art. Next, the generating means 122 evaluates or ranks the measured RSSI based on predetermined criteria. The evaluation criteria can be any. For example, the ranking can be based on two predetermined criteria values, resulting in three levels such as strong, medium, and weak, or based on four predetermined criteria values, resulting in five levels such as strong, slightly strong, medium, slightly weak, and weak. The evaluation or ranking facilitates comparison of communication congestion levels. For example, when multiple communication routes to the same destination exist, the user can easily select a communication route. For example, by assigning levels, it becomes possible to select an appropriate communication route based on the priority of the route, such as "the route with the shortest distance but congested communication, unreliable and prone to delays" or "the route that is longer but most reliable and has the least delays."

[0059] Next, the generating means 122 maps the measured RSSI rating or level in association with the location information of the communication device that transmitted the signal. Specifically, the map is divided into a plurality of cells, and the RSSI rating or level is plotted for the cell in which the communication device that transmitted the signal is located. The location information of the communication device may preferably be included in the signal received by the receiving means 121. The generating means 122 may, for example, plot the RSSI at the coordinates of the location information in an absolute coordinate system in a space having the same dimensions as the dimensions of the location information. The absolute coordinate system is a coordinate system based on a specific position and can be used by each of the multiple communication terminal devices in the communication system 1000. The absolute coordinate system may, for example, be a latitude-longitude coordinate system that represents a position by an angle from the equator and an angle from a meridian (e.g., the prime meridian), and altitude or depth may be defined based on sea level. The absolute coordinate system may, for example, be a planar rectangular coordinate system that treats a specific area on the Earth as a plane. The generating unit 122 may plot the RSSI at the coordinates of the location information in a relative coordinate system with the position of the communication terminal device as the origin, for example. The relative coordinate system may be, for example, a Cartesian coordinate system, a polar coordinate system, a spherical coordinate system, or a cylindrical coordinate system.

[0060] The generating means 122 can generate a map showing the degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device by mapping, for each signal received from a plurality of communication devices around the communication terminal device, the measured RSSI rating or level in association with the location information of the communication device that transmitted the signal. For example, when a plurality of signals are received from a plurality of communication devices existing in the same spatial position (e.g., the same cell), the highest value of the RSSI rating or level of each of the plurality of signals may be mapped in association with the location information, the lowest value of the RSSI rating or level of each of the plurality of signals may be mapped in association with the location information, or the average value of the RSSI rating or level of each of the plurality of signals may be mapped in association with the location information.

[0061] A map showing the degree of communication congestion can indicate, for a specific spatial location around a communication terminal device, a value or rating indicating the strength of a signal transmitted from that spatial location, as well as the density of base stations at that spatial location. The signal strength and base station density indicate the degree of communication congestion. "Communication congestion" can also be expressed as a slot occupancy rate in a communication protocol. For example, in VDES communication, data is transmitted within a slot at a predetermined interval. When communication congestion occurs, for example, when the number of vessels or communication needs are high (e.g., the number of transmissions or data size is large), multiple data items to be transmitted cannot be accommodated within a single slot, or a single piece of data cannot be accommodated within a single slot and must be accommodated in a later slot. As a result, data reception delays occur. The slot occupancy rate (i.e., communication congestion) can be an indicator of the reliability of real-time communication. Alternatively, the base station density displayed on the map can also indicate communication reliability, such as the likelihood of future communication delays.

[0062] For example, even if the signal strength is strong, if the base station density is high, the degree of communication congestion may be relatively high and the reliability of real-time or future communications may be low. On the other hand, even if the signal strength is weak, if the base station density is low, the degree of communication congestion may be relatively low and the reliability of real-time or future communications may be high.

[0063] The map showing the degree of communication congestion may be represented, for example, in a Cartesian coordinate system, a polar coordinate system, a spherical coordinate system, or a cylindrical coordinate system. Each coordinate system has a specific origin (for example, a specific point of origin). Preferably, a map indicating the degree of communication congestion can be expressed in a cylindrical coordinate system. In a map expressed in a cylindrical coordinate system, a component indicating signal strength can be expressed as a value obtained by multiplying a value indicating the signal strength by the distance R from the center of the coordinate system (i.e., the position of the communication terminal device). This can express the energy required for communication from the position of the communication terminal device to a specific spatial position. Thereby, the transmission strength required when transmitting from the communication terminal device can be grasped at once using a map expressed in a "cylindrical coordinate system". For example, the communication terminal device can make transmission operation decisions based on the component of "distance R x signal strength RSSI", such as adopting a weak transmission strength when distance (far) x radio waves (strong), adopting a strong transmission strength when distance (far) x radio waves (weak), adopting a weak transmission strength when distance (near) x radio waves (strong), and adopting a weak transmission strength when distance (near) x radio waves (weak). This can reduce the power input to the transmitter and enable efficient wireless operation.

[0064] For example, when the receiving means 121 receives a map indicating the communication congestion level previously generated, the generating means 122 can use that map to generate a map indicating the communication congestion level around the communication terminal device. This corresponds to the case described above with reference to FIG. 1C . That is, the receiving means 121 receives a map transmitted from the central base station C as a communication device, and the generating means 122 uses that map to generate a map. Since the generating means 122 does not need to generate a map for portions that overlap with the received map, the process for generating the map can be simplified and the load can be reduced.

[0065] The generating means 122 can update the generated map as needed. The generating means 122 may update the map intermittently or periodically, for example, based on RSSI measured from signals continuously received from surrounding communication devices. For example, when a communication device moves away from a communication terminal device, the generating means 122 can perform calculations based on the location information of the communication device and transmission loss based on the relative distance, and update the map so as to remove information about the communication device from the map when the communication device reaches the signal transmission limit or reception limit.

[0066] 5A-5D show examples of maps generated by communication system 100. FIG.

[0067] The map may be represented in matrix form as shown in Figures 5A to 5D, but the map may also be represented in other forms, for example in the form of an image.

[0068] In the example shown in Figure 5A, the map is expressed in a Cartesian coordinate system. Each element of the matrix represents a spatial coordinate (x, y, z) and an RSSI value (S ｒｓｓｉ For example, the origin (i.e., the bottom left matrix element) may represent the spatial coordinates at which the communication terminal device is located (i.e., the map is represented in a relative coordinate system), or may represent the spatial coordinates of a specific location (e.g., a specific latitude, longitude, and altitude) (i.e., the map is represented in an absolute coordinate system).

[0069] In the example shown in Fig. 5B, the map is expressed in a spherical coordinate system. Each element of the matrix is ​​a spatial coordinate (φ, θ) and a value (r × S) obtained by multiplying the RSSI value measured from the signal transmitted from the communication device at that spatial coordinate by the distance r from the communication terminal device to that spatial coordinate. ｒｓｓｉ 5A , for example, the origin (i.e., the bottom left matrix element) may represent the spatial coordinates at which the communication terminal device is located (i.e., the map is represented in a relative coordinate system), or may represent the spatial coordinates of a specific location (e.g., a specific latitude, longitude, and altitude) (i.e., the map is represented in an absolute coordinate system).

[0070] In the example shown in Figure 5C, the map is expressed in a spherical coordinate system. Each element of the matrix represents a spatial coordinate (r, φ, θ) and an RSSI value (S ｒｓｓｉ ) A map is created for each distance r from the communication terminal device. As in FIG. 5A , for example, the origin (i.e., the bottom left matrix element) may represent the spatial coordinates at which the communication terminal device is located (i.e., the map is represented in a relative coordinate system), or may represent the spatial coordinates of a specific location (e.g., a specific latitude, longitude, and altitude) (i.e., the map is represented in an absolute coordinate system).

[0071] In the example shown in Fig. 5D, the map is expressed in a cylindrical coordinate system. Each element of the matrix is ​​a spatial coordinate (φ, θ) and a value (r × S) obtained by multiplying the RSSI value measured from the signal transmitted from the communication device at that spatial coordinate by the distance r from the communication terminal device to that spatial coordinate. ｒｓｓｉ ) A map is created for each distance r from the communication terminal device. As in FIG. 5A , for example, the origin (i.e., the bottom left matrix element) may represent the spatial coordinates at which the communication terminal device is located (i.e., the map is represented in a relative coordinate system), or may represent the spatial coordinates of a specific location (e.g., a specific latitude, longitude, and altitude) (i.e., the map is represented in an absolute coordinate system).

[0072] The generated map can be used for any purpose. For example, the map can be used by a communication terminal device to understand the degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device. For example, the map can be used by a communication terminal device to determine whether to communicate directly or indirectly with a desired communication device when communicating with the desired communication device. For example, the map can be used by a communication terminal device to determine where a repeater should be installed when installing a repeater.

[0073] For example, the map can be used to distribute the load of communication devices. For example, communication devices in an area where communication devices are densely packed will inevitably have a heavy information processing load due to increased communication frequency. By using the map, it is possible to identify communication devices with low communication loads based on location information and RSSI values, and distribute the load to those communication devices.

[0074] For example, the map can be used to determine the reliability of a communication route. For example, the map can be used to determine whether a communication route to a desired communication partner can be established (e.g., whether a reliable communication route can be traced). Furthermore, for example, the map can also be used to evaluate the reliability of an established communication route. For example, if it is difficult to establish a communication route in the first place, it can be determined to perform communication using a third communication means (e.g., satellite communication, Internet communication, etc.) and request the transfer of the communication mission to a communication device with better communication conditions.

[0075] 4B shows an example of the configuration of processor unit 120A, which is an alternative embodiment of processor unit 120. In the example shown in FIG. 4B, processor unit 120A is configured to generate a map indicating the degree of communication congestion in the surrounding area and to execute an action based on the generated map.

[0076] The processor unit 120A includes a receiving means 121, a generating means 122, and an executing means 123. The receiving means 1211 and the generating means 122 are similar to those of the processor unit 120 described above with reference to Fig. 4A, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0077] The map generated by the generating means 122 is passed to the executing means 123 .

[0078] The execution means 123 is configured as follows.

[0079] In one embodiment, the map-based action is to communicate with a desired communication device.

[0080] The execution means 123 may be configured to perform the following steps: (1) determining whether to communicate directly with the desired communication device based on the map; (2) if it is determined to communicate directly, communicating directly with the desired communication device; and (3) if it is determined not to communicate directly, communicating indirectly with the desired communication device.

[0081] In step (1), the execution unit 123 may, for example, determine to perform direct communication if the communication congestion level indicated by the map is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold at any location on the communication path to the desired communication device, and may determine to perform indirect communication if the communication congestion level indicated by the map exceeds a predetermined threshold at any location on the communication path. Alternatively, the execution unit 123 may, for example, calculate a calculated value of the communication congestion level indicated by the map along the communication path to the desired communication device, and determine to perform direct communication if the calculated value is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold, and determine to perform indirect communication if the calculated value exceeds the predetermined threshold. The calculated value may, for example, be the sum of the communication congestion levels along the communication path to the desired communication device, or may be the average communication congestion level of the communication path to the desired communication device.

[0082] In step (2), the execution means 123 will communicate directly with the desired communication as usual.

[0083] In step (3), the execution unit 123 determines a relay communication device for communication with the desired communication device, and performs indirect communication via the relay communication device. At this time, the execution unit 123 can determine the relay communication device based on a map. For example, the execution unit 123 determines, based on the map, a direction with low traffic congestion that is close to the direction of the desired communication device. Then, the execution unit 123 searches for a communication device that can serve as a relay communication device in the determined direction. If the map is a three-dimensional map, the direction can be determined three-dimensionally, and communication devices that can serve as relay communication devices can be searched not only horizontally but also vertically. If a communication device that can serve as a relay communication device is found as a result of the search, the communication device is used as a relay communication device to perform indirect communication. If the search results in no transmission from a communication device that can serve as a relay communication device, the execution unit 123 searches for a direction with the next lowest traffic congestion or a direction next closest to the desired communication device. This process is repeated until a communication device that can serve as a relay communication device is found. For example, if a communication device under the same communication network (e.g., a VDES standard network) cannot be found, it may be decided to communicate using another communication network (e.g., satellite communication, Internet communication, etc.), and a request may be made to transfer the communication mission to a communication device with better communication conditions.

[0084] For example, the communication path between the found communication device and the desired communication device may also be congested. To prepare for such a case, the execution unit 123 may receive a map indicating the degree of communication congestion around the communication device from a communication device that can become a relay communication device, and check in advance whether the communication path between the communication device and the desired communication device is congested, before determining the relay communication device. This can be checked, for example, by a determination similar to that in step (1). In this case, the communication device can obtain a map indicating the degree of communication congestion around the communication device by processing similar to that of the processor unit 120 of the communication terminal device.

[0085] In this way, by using the map to perform indirect communication, there is an advantage that communication of appropriate quality can be always ensured.

[0086] In another embodiment, the map-based action is to deploy a repeater for communications.

[0087] The execution means 123 may be configured to perform the steps of: (1) determining, based on the map, a location where the repeater will be deployed; and (2) instructing the repeater to move to the determined location, or instructing the means for moving the repeater to move the repeater to the determined location.

[0088] In step (1), the execution means 123 determines, for example, based on a map, a location with high communication congestion and determines a location where a repeater should be deployed to reduce the communication congestion at that location. The location where the repeater should be deployed may be, for example, on the sea, in the air, in space, or underwater. The location where the repeater should be deployed is preferably a location where the strength of a signal transmitted over a communication path from a communication terminal device to a desired communication device can be approximately the same as the strength of a signal transmitted over a communication path from the desired communication device to the communication terminal device. For example, the location may be a location that avoids locations that may cause communication obstructions, such as behind islands. Such a location can be determined, for example, by an equation for a tangent to a circle between two points.

[0089] In step (2), the execution means 123 instructs the repeater or a means for moving the repeater to deploy the repeater. If the repeater itself is mobile (e.g., an autonomous drone), the execution means 123 instructs the repeater, and the repeater moves to the deployment location. If the repeater itself is not mobile (e.g., a buoy at sea), the execution means 123 instructs a means for moving the repeater (e.g., a drone for transporting the buoy), and the means for moving the repeater moves the repeater. For example, if the repeater cannot be moved arbitrarily (e.g., if the repeater is an artificial satellite or an aircraft that flies automatically according to a specified schedule), the repeater may function as a repeater when it reaches the location where it is to be deployed.

[0090] In this way, by using the map to deploy repeaters, it is possible to eliminate communication congestion and ensure communication of appropriate quality at all times.

[0091] It should be noted that the communication terminal device 100 does not necessarily need to use a map that it has generated itself, but may instead use a map transmitted from outside the communication terminal device (for example, from a nearby communication device, or more specifically, from a central base station) to perform an action.

[0092] 4C shows an example of the configuration of processor unit 120B, which is an alternative embodiment of processor unit 120. In the example shown in FIG. 4C, processor unit 120B has a configuration for executing an action based on a map indicating a communication congestion degree generated outside processor unit 120B.

[0093] The processor unit 120B includes a receiving means 124 and an executing means 125 .

[0094] The receiving means 124 is configured to receive a map indicating the degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device. The receiving means 124 receives the map from outside the communication terminal device via the interface unit 110. The map indicating the degree of communication congestion can be generated and transmitted by, for example, a communication terminal device including the above-mentioned processor unit 120.

[0095] The received map is passed to the execution means 125 .

[0096] The execution means 125 has the same configuration as the execution means 123 of the processor unit 120A, and a description thereof will be omitted.

[0097] In this configuration, the processor unit 120 does not need to have a configuration for generating a map, and the configuration can be simplified.

[0098] Each component of the communication terminal device 100 described above may be composed of a single hardware component or multiple hardware components. When composed of multiple hardware components, the manner in which the hardware components are connected does not matter. The hardware components may be connected wirelessly or by wire. The communication terminal device 100 of the present invention is not limited to a specific hardware configuration. It is also within the scope of the present invention for the processor unit 120 to be configured with an analog circuit rather than a digital circuit. The configuration of the communication terminal device 100 of the present invention is not limited to the one described above as long as it can realize its functions.

[0099] 6 is a flowchart showing an example of processing 600 in communication terminal device 100. Processing 600 is executed by processor unit 120 or processor unit 120A of communication terminal device 100. In the following, processing 600 will be described as being executed by processor unit 120.

[0100] In step S601, the receiving means 121 of the processor unit 120 receives a signal from at least one communication device in the vicinity of the communication terminal device 100. The signal includes attribute information of the communication device, and the attribute information of the communication device includes at least location information of the communication device. The location information is preferably three-dimensional information.

[0101] In step S602, the generating means 122 of the processor unit 120 generates a map indicating the degree of communication congestion in the surrounding area based on the signal received in step S601. For example, for a signal received from one communication device, the generating means 122 performs the steps of measuring the RSSI of the received signal, evaluating or leveling the measured RSSI, and mapping the RSSI evaluation or level in association with location information included in the signal. The generating means 122 can generate a map indicating the degree of congestion in the surrounding area of ​​the communication terminal device by performing these steps for each of the signals received from multiple communication devices surrounding the communication terminal device.

[0102] The map generated in step S602 can be used for any purpose. For example, the map can be used by a communication terminal device to understand the degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device. For example, the map can be used by a communication terminal device to determine whether to communicate directly or indirectly with a desired communication device when communicating with the desired communication device. For example, the map can be used by a communication terminal device to determine where a repeater should be installed when installing a repeater.

[0103] For example, if process 600 is executed in processor unit 120A, processor unit 120A may, in an additional step S603, perform an action based on the map generated in step S602.

[0104] In step S603, the execution means 123 of the processor unit 120A executes an action based on the map. The action based on the map may be to communicate with a desired communication device, to deploy a repeater for communication, or may be some other action.

[0105] For example, to communicate with a desired communication device, the execution means 123 of the processor unit 120A can perform the following steps: (1) determining whether to communicate directly with the desired communication device based on the map; (2) performing direct communication with the desired communication device if it is determined to perform direct communication; and (3) performing indirect communication with the desired communication device if it is determined not to perform direct communication. In this way, by performing indirect communication using the map, it is possible to always ensure communication of appropriate quality.

[0106] For example, to deploy a repeater for communication, the execution means 123 of the processor unit 120A can perform the following steps: (1) determining a location where the repeater will be deployed based on a map; and (2) instructing the repeater to move to the determined location, or instructing the repeater movement means to move the repeater to the determined location. In this way, by deploying repeaters using a map, communication congestion can be alleviated and communication of appropriate quality can always be ensured.

[0107] For example, instead of steps S601 and S602, the processor unit 120B of the communication terminal 100 can perform a step of receiving a map indicating the degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal 100 from outside the communication terminal 100. Then, the processor unit 120B can perform a step similar to step S603, i.e., can execute an action based on the received map.

[0108] It should be noted that although the above examples illustrate steps being performed in a particular order, the order in which the steps are performed is not limited to that shown, and the steps may be performed in any order that is logically possible.

[0109] 6 may be realized by the processor unit 120, 120A, or 120B and a program stored in the memory unit 130, but the present invention is not limited to this. At least one of the processes of the steps shown in FIG. 6 may be realized by a hardware configuration such as a control circuit.

[0110] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. It is understood that the scope of the present invention should be interpreted only by the claims. It is understood that a person skilled in the art can implement an equivalent scope based on the description of the present invention and common technical knowledge from the description of specific preferred embodiments of the present invention.

[0111] The present invention is useful for facilitating communication on the sea, etc.

[0112] S, S1, S2, S3 Ship C Central base station 100 Communication terminal device 110 Interface unit 120 Processor unit 130 Memory unit

Claims

1. A communication terminal device comprising: a receiving means for receiving a signal from at least one communication device surrounding the communication terminal device; and a generating means for generating a map indicating a degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device based on the received signal.

2. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the receiving means receives a signal from at least one communication device located at a position different from that of the communication terminal device in at least the vertical direction, and the map generated by the generating means indicates a degree of communication congestion in at least the vertical direction.

3. The communication terminal device according to claim 2, wherein the communication terminal device is mounted on a vehicle on water, and the at least one communication device is mounted on a vehicle in space, the air, or underwater.

4. A communication terminal device as described in claim 1, further comprising an execution means for executing an action based on the map, the action including communicating with a desired communication device, the execution means being configured to: determine whether or not to communicate directly with the desired communication device based on the map; and, when it is decided to communicate directly, to communicate directly with the desired communication device; and, when it is decided not to communicate directly, determine a relay communication device for communication with the desired communication device based on the map and to communicate indirectly with the desired communication device via the relay communication device.

5. A communications terminal device as described in claim 1, further comprising an execution means for executing an action based on the map, the action including deploying a repeater for communications, the execution means being configured to: determine, based on the map, a location where the repeater should be deployed; and instruct the repeater or a means for moving the repeater to move to the location.

6. A communication terminal device comprising: a receiving means for receiving a map indicating a degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device; and a communication means for communicating with a desired communication device based on the map, wherein the communication means is configured to: determine, based on the map, whether or not to communicate directly with the desired communication device; and, when it is decided to communicate directly, to communicate directly with the desired communication device; and, when it is decided not to communicate directly, to determine, based on the map, a relay communication device for communication with the desired communication device and to communicate indirectly with the desired communication device via the relay communication device.

7. A communications terminal device comprising: a receiving means for receiving a map indicating a degree of communication congestion around the communications terminal device; and a deployment means for deploying a communications repeater based on the map, wherein the deployment means is configured to: determine a location where the repeater should be deployed based on the map; and instruct the repeater or a means for moving the repeater to move to the location.

8. The communication terminal device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the map indicates a degree of communication congestion at least in a vertical direction.

9. A method executed in a communications terminal device, comprising: receiving a signal from at least one communications device surrounding the communications terminal device; and generating a map indicating the degree of communications congestion around the communications terminal device based on the received signal.

10. A program executed in a communication terminal device, the program being executed in a processor provided in the communication terminal device, the program causing the processor to perform processes including: receiving a signal from at least one communication device around the communication terminal device; and generating a map indicating the degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device based on the received signal.

11. A method executed in a communication terminal device, comprising: receiving a map indicating a degree of communication congestion around the communication terminal device; and communicating with a desired communication device based on the map, wherein the communicating includes: determining, based on the map, whether or not to communicate directly with the desired communication device; and, if it is determined to communicate directly, communicating directly with the desired communication device; and, if it is determined not to communicate directly, determining, based on the map, a relay communication device for communicating with the desired communication device, and communicating indirectly with the desired communication device via the relay communication device.

12. A program executed in a communications terminal device, the program being executed in a processor provided in the communications terminal device, the program causing the processor to perform processes including: receiving a map indicating a degree of communications congestion around the communications terminal device; and communicating with a desired communications device based on the map, the communicating includes: determining, based on the map, whether or not to communicate directly with the desired communications device; and, if it is determined to communicate directly, communicating directly with the desired communications device; and, if it is determined not to communicate directly, determining, based on the map, a relay communications device for communicating with the desired communications device, and communicating indirectly with the desired communications device via the relay communications device.

13. A method executed in a communications terminal device, comprising: receiving a map indicating a degree of communication congestion around the communications terminal device; and deploying a communications repeater based on the map, said deploying comprising: determining a location where the repeater should be deployed based on the map; and instructing the repeater or a means for moving the repeater to move to the location.

14. A program executed in a communications terminal device, the program being executed in a processor provided in the communications terminal device, the program causing the processor to perform processes including: receiving a map indicating the degree of communication congestion around the communications terminal device; and deploying a communications repeater based on the map, the deployment including: determining, based on the map, a location where the repeater should be deployed; and instructing the repeater or a means for moving the repeater to move to the location.

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