Communication device and program

Abstract

This communication device comprises: a reception processing unit that detects characteristics of a signal of a channel on which a skip operation has been performed in a channel scan process; and a scan control unit that generates scan skip information including information of a channel to be skipped in the channel scan process on the basis of the detected characteristics of the signal. The scan skip information includes at least one of area definition information defining an area to which the scan skip information is to be applied, deadline specification information defining a deadline by which the scan skip information is to be applied, and the number of skip channels which is the number of channels to be skipped. The scan control unit generates at least one of the area definition information, the deadline definition information, and the number of skip channels included in the scan skip information on the basis of the detected characteristics of the signal.

Description

Communication device and program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a communication device and a program.

[0002] There is disclosed a technique for skipping frequencies or channels that are to be temporarily skipped during a scan operation for a certain period (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-116796

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a process for skipping channels for a predetermined fixed period. However, Patent Document 1 does not disclose detecting the characteristics of a signal received in a scan process and dynamically skipping channels according to the characteristics of the signal. Therefore, it has been difficult to perform efficient scan processing, such as performing a useless scan operation or repeatedly specifying the channels to be scanned by the user.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a communication device and a program capable of efficiently performing a scan process.

[0006] The communication device of the present disclosure includes a reception processing unit that detects the characteristics of a signal of a channel for which a skip operation has been performed in a channel scan process, and a scan control unit that generates scan skip information including information on channels to be skipped in the channel scan process based on the detected characteristics of the signal. The scan skip information includes at least one of area specification information that specifies an area to which the scan skip information is to be applied, time limit specification information that specifies a time limit to which the scan skip information is to be applied, and the number of channels to be skipped, which is the number of skip channels. The scan control unit generates at least one of the area specification information, the time limit specification information, or the number of skip channels included in the scan skip information based on the detected characteristics of the signal.

[0007] The communication device of this disclosure includes: a scan skip information acquisition unit that acquires scan skip information including information on channels to be skipped in the channel scan process, which is generated based on the signal characteristics of the channels that have been skipped in the channel scan process; a location information acquisition unit that acquires location information of the communication device; and a scan control unit that performs a channel scan process based on the scan skip information. The scan skip information includes area definition information that defines the area to which the scan skip information should be applied, and deadline definition information that defines the deadline for which the scan skip information should be applied. The scan control unit skips the channels included in the scan skip information if the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit is within the area and the current date and time is within the deadline.

[0008] The program of this disclosure is a program that causes a computer of a communication device to perform the following steps: detecting the characteristics of the signal of a channel that has been skipped in a channel scan process; and generating scan skip information including information about channels to be skipped in the channel scan process based on the detected signal characteristics, wherein the scan skip information includes at least one of area definition information defining an area to which the scan skip information should be applied, deadline definition information defining a deadline for which the scan skip information should be applied, and the number of skip channels which is the number of channels to be skipped, and the generation step generates at least one of the area definition information, the deadline definition information, or the number of skip channels to be included in the scan skip information based on the detected signal characteristics.

[0009] The program of this disclosure causes the computer of a communication device to perform the following steps: acquire scan skip information, which includes information about channels to be skipped in the channel scan process, generated based on the signal characteristics of channels that have been skipped in the channel scan process; acquire location information of the communication device; and perform a scan step, which performs a channel scan process based on the scan skip information, wherein the scan skip information includes area definition information that defines the area to which the scan skip information should be applied, and deadline definition information that defines the deadline for which the scan skip information should be applied, and the scan step skips channels included in the scan skip information if the acquired location information is within the area and the current date and time is within the deadline.

[0010] According to this disclosure, it is possible to appropriately prevent the scanning process from being performed efficiently.

[0011] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example configuration of a communication system according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example configuration of a terminal device according to the first embodiment. Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the outline of the scan process performed by the terminal device according to the first embodiment. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of the scan process performed by the terminal device according to the first embodiment. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the first storage format of the scan skip information registration table according to the first embodiment. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the second storage format of the scan skip information registration table according to the first embodiment. Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of a time category table according to the first embodiment. Figure 8 is a diagram showing an example of a distance category table according to the first embodiment. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the details of the scan skip registration process according to the first embodiment. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the details of the process for calculating the number of skip channels according to the first embodiment. Figure 11 is a diagram showing an example of a scan skip information list displayed on the display unit according to the second embodiment. Figure 12 is a diagram showing the configuration of the scan skip information registration table stored in the scan skip information storage unit according to the second embodiment. Figure 13 is a diagram showing an example of a scan skip information list displayed on the display unit according to the second embodiment.

[0012] Embodiments relating to this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. However, this embodiment does not limit the disclosure, and in the following embodiments, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant explanations.

[0013] <First Embodiment> (Communication System) An example of the configuration of the communication system according to the first embodiment will be described using Figure 1. Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the communication system according to the first embodiment.

[0014] Communication system 1 includes terminal devices 10-1 to 10-5 and relay station devices 12-1 to 12-3. When there is no need to distinguish between terminal devices 10-1 to 10-5, they are collectively referred to as terminal device 10. Terminal device 10 is sometimes also called communication device. When there is no need to distinguish between relay station devices 12-1 to 12-3, they are collectively referred to as relay station device 12. Relay station device 12 is sometimes also called repeater.

[0015] Wireless communication using a predetermined communication method is performed between the terminal device 10 and the relay station device 12. Wireless communication is performed between multiple terminal devices 10 either via the relay station device 12 or directly. Wireless communication includes voice calls, video calls, and data communication. In the example shown in Figure 1, terminal devices 10-1 and 10-2 communicate wirelessly with the relay station device 12-1. Terminal device 10-3 communicates wirelessly with the relay station device 12-2. Terminal devices 10-4 and 10-5 communicate wirelessly with the relay station device 12-3. In the example shown in Figure 1, there are five terminal devices 10, but this is just one example. The number of terminal devices 10 included in the communication system 1 can be any number of two or more. Terminal devices 10 can be portable, carried by a person (user), in-vehicle, or fixed, installed in an office or house, but their size and form are not limited.

[0016] The relay station device 12 is connected to network N, and it is possible to send and receive data between the relay station devices 12. Network N can be the internet, LAN / WAN, etc., and can be a wired network or a wireless network. In the example shown in Figure 1, there are three relay station devices 12, but this is just one example. The number of relay station devices 12 can be any number of one or more. If there is only one relay station device 12 and it is not connected to other devices such as a system management device, network N can be omitted. Alternatively, the relay station device 12 can be omitted, and direct communication can be performed between terminal devices 10.

[0017] (Terminal Device) An example of the configuration of a terminal device according to the first embodiment will be described using Figure 2. Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a terminal device according to the first embodiment.

[0018] As shown in Figure 2, the terminal device 10 includes a communication unit 20, an audio input unit 30, an audio output unit 40, an operation unit 50, a display unit 60, a notification unit 70, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) module 80, a storage unit 90, and a control unit 100.

[0019] The communication unit 20 performs wireless communication with other terminal devices 10 or relay station devices 12. The communication unit 20 includes a receiving unit 21 and a transmitting unit 22.

[0020] The receiving unit 21 receives radio waves of a predetermined wireless communication standard transmitted from another terminal device 10 or relay station device 12 via the antenna 23 and generates an RF signal (high-frequency signal). The receiving unit 21 demodulates the RF signal to generate a baseband signal and outputs it to the control unit 100.

[0021] The transmitting unit 22 modulates the baseband signal generated by the control unit 100 to generate an RF signal. The transmitting unit 22 transmits radio waves conforming to a predetermined wireless communication standard to other terminal devices 10 or relay station devices 12 via the antenna 23.

[0022] The audio input unit 30 picks up sounds from the surrounding area of ​​the terminal device 10. For example, the audio input unit 30 picks up the voice of a user using the terminal device 10. The audio input unit 30 converts the picked-up sound into an audio signal and outputs it to the control unit 100. The audio input unit 30 is composed of, for example, a microphone.

[0023] The audio output unit 40 converts the audio signal received from the control unit 100 into audio and outputs it. The audio output unit 40 is composed of, for example, a speaker or earphones.

[0024] The operation unit 50 is an input device that receives operations from the user. The operation unit 50 outputs an input signal to the control unit 100 according to the input it receives. The operation unit 50 is composed of various buttons, keys, or a touch panel.

[0025] The display unit 60 is equipped with a screen for displaying various types of information. The display unit 60 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display. Alternatively, the display unit 60 and the operation unit 50 may be integrated using a touch panel or the like.

[0026] The notification unit 70 is a means for notifying the user audibly and visually when a predetermined event occurs. The notification unit 70 includes, for example, the output of a beep sound (notification sound) and the illumination of an LED (Light Emitting Diode). A predetermined event is, for example, when the change of the receiving frequency is temporarily suspended during the scan process, as will be described later. The audio output unit 40 or the display unit 60 may also function as the notification unit 70. In this case, the notification unit 70 may be omitted.

[0027] The GNSS module 80 acquires the location information (latitude and longitude) of the terminal device 10 (this terminal device) based on radio waves emitted by GNSS satellites. The GNSS module 80 is also called the location information acquisition unit or the terminal location information acquisition unit. The means for acquiring the location information of the terminal device 10 is not limited to the GNSS module 80. For example, the communication unit 20 may receive radio waves from a mobile phone base station or a wireless LAN access point, and the control unit 100 may determine the location of the terminal device 10 based on the base station or access point information contained in those radio waves. In other words, the location information acquisition unit may acquire the location information of the terminal device 10 based not only on GNSS satellite information, but also on information from mobile phone base stations, etc.

[0028] The storage unit 90 is composed of semiconductor memory or the like and stores various data, calculation contents of the control unit 100, and programs. The storage unit 90 includes a scan skip information storage unit 91 that stores scan skip information. Scan skip information is information indicating channels (frequencies) that are not received (not used) in the scan process performed by the terminal device 10. In other words, in the scan process, the terminal device 10 excludes (skips) the channels registered in the scan skip information and receives other channels. At least a part of the storage unit 90 is composed of non-volatile memory so that data and programs are retained even when the power to the terminal device 10 is turned off. The scan skip information storage unit 91 is composed of non-volatile memory and the scan skip information is retained even when the power to the terminal device 10 is turned off.

[0029] The control unit 100 controls the entire terminal device 10 (each part). The control unit 100 processes the baseband signal output by the receiving unit 21 and outputs a voice signal for communication (call). The control unit 100 generates a baseband signal based on the voice signal input from the voice input unit 30 and outputs it to the transmitting unit 22. The control unit 100 has a function (timer function) to acquire the current date and time and measure a predetermined time. The control unit 100 is composed of a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). For example, the processor such as the CPU may realize the functions of each part of the terminal device 10 by reading and executing a program stored in the storage unit 90 (memory).

[0030] The control unit 100 comprises a receiving processing unit 101, a transmitting processing unit 102, and a scanning control unit 103.

[0031] The receiving processing unit 101 detects the signal strength of the RF signal received by the receiving unit 21. The receiving processing unit 101 performs signal processing on the baseband signal demodulated by the receiving unit 21 to extract the voice signal and communication data of the call.

[0032] The transmission processing unit 102 outputs voice signals and communication data to the transmission unit 22 and transmits them to the relay station device 12 or other terminal device 10.

[0033] The scan control unit 103 controls (executes) the scan process. The scan control unit 103 checks the RF signal while sequentially changing the receiving frequency within a predetermined frequency range via the receiving processing unit 101, and if the RF signal is above a predetermined value (above a certain level), it temporarily stops changing the receiving frequency. That is, if the RF signal is above a predetermined value, the scan control unit 103 temporarily stops changing the receiving frequency and causes the receiving processing unit 101 to start extracting the audio signal. The scan control unit 103 also determines the frequency to be received (used) in the scan process based on the scan skip information. When the scan control unit 103 temporarily stops changing the receiving frequency, it gives instructions to the notification unit 70. The notification unit 70 notifies the user audibly or visually according to the instructions received from the scan control unit 103. The notification unit 70 may also notify the user audibly or visually when scan skip information is registered, as will be described later.

[0034] [Scanning Process] Here, we will explain the overview of the scanning process (channel scanning process) performed on the terminal device 10. The user of the terminal device 10 will perform a predetermined operation to instruct the execution of the scanning process in any of the following cases.

[0035] (1. When you want to select a receiving channel) When the scan control unit 103 performs a scan, if there is an RF signal on the set channel, information indicating the signal strength is displayed on the display unit 60, and audio extracted from the RF signal is output from the audio output unit 40 for a predetermined time (first predetermined time). The first predetermined time is, for example, 2 seconds. The user listens to the audio and decides whether or not to select the currently set channel. Note that if the RF signal is an interfering radio wave, noise may be output from the audio output unit 40, so the control unit 100 may detect noise contained in the audio signal and control the audio output unit 40 to prevent it from outputting noise. For example, if the audio signal contains noise above a predetermined standard, the control unit 100 may control the audio output unit 40 to silence it without outputting sound. When selecting a set channel, the user performs a predetermined operation on the operation unit 50, the scan process ends, and the selected channel becomes the receiving channel. If the user does not perform any operation on the operation unit 50, the set channels are changed sequentially. Furthermore, the user can change the set channel by operating the control unit 50.

[0036] (2. When you want to select a transmission channel (available channel)) When the scan control unit 103 performs a scan, if there is an RF signal on the set channel, information indicating the signal strength is displayed on the display unit 60, and audio extracted from the RF signal is output from the audio output unit 40 for a first predetermined time. If there is no RF signal on the set channel, no audio is output, and information indicating a signal strength of 0 is displayed on the display unit 60 only for a second predetermined time. The second predetermined time is shorter than the first predetermined time, for example, 1 second. The user looks at the display unit 60 and if the signal strength is 0, they determine that the set channel is an available channel and set it as a candidate for the transmission channel. When selecting a channel that is currently set, the user performs a predetermined operation on the operation unit 50, the scan process ends, and the selected channel becomes the transmission channel. If the user does not perform any operation on the operation unit 50, the set channel is changed sequentially at predetermined timings. The user can also change the set channel by operating the operation unit 50.

[0037] (Scanning Process) An overview of the scanning process (channel scanning process) performed by the terminal device according to the first embodiment will be explained using Figure 3. Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the overview of the scanning process performed by the terminal device according to the first embodiment. Figures 3(a) to 3(e) show how the display screen 200 displayed on the display unit 60 of the terminal device 10 transitions as the scanning process progresses. The display screen 200 is controlled by the control unit 100.

[0038] Figure 3(a) shows the state in which the user has performed a predetermined operation on the control unit and the scan process has started. In the first embodiment, for example, the scan process starts when the user long-presses the VFO key on the control unit 50, but of course, it is not limited to this operation. As shown in Figure 3(a), the display screen 200 that the scan control unit 130 displays on the display unit 60 includes a string 201 and an icon 202. The string 201 represents the frequency of the set channel, that is, the frequency of the radio waves to be received. In the example of Figure 3, the frequency is displayed in MHz (megahertz), but of course, the unit of frequency can be arbitrary. The icon 202 represents the signal strength of the radio waves to be received (signal strength of the RF signal). The icon 202 is, for example, a meter (level meter) that shows the signal strength and changes in real time according to the signal strength. In the example of Figure 4, the greater the signal strength, the more black cells are displayed in the icon 202. For example, in Figure 3(a), five of the nine cells displaying signal strength (signal level) are shown in black, indicating that the signal strength is "level 5".

[0039] Figure 3(a) shows the state in which the scan control unit 103 has set 433.200 MHz as the initial frequency for scanning (receiving) and is scanning at this frequency. If an RF signal exists at this frequency, its audio is output from the audio output unit 40. The user can determine whether this frequency is an available channel by looking at the icon 202 displayed on the display screen 200. If the user does not perform any operation, after a first predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds), the scan control unit 103 sets the frequency to be scanned next by adding a predetermined value (step frequency) to the currently set frequency. In other words, the frequency to be scanned is set in units of step frequency. The step frequency is the difference in frequency between adjacent channels, for example, 20 kHz.

[0040] The scan control unit 103 refers to the scan skip information storage unit 91 and determines whether the next frequency to be set is a scan skip frequency, which is a frequency to be excluded from the scan process. Specifically, the scan control unit 103 determines that a newly set frequency is a scan skip frequency if it is the same as a skip frequency stored in the scan skip information storage unit 91, the station's position obtained from the GNSS module 80 is within the valid range, and the current date and time are within the validity period. For example, if the next frequency is 433.200 + 0.020 = 433.220 MHz, and 433.220 MHz is registered in the scan skip information storage unit 91, and the station's position obtained from the GNSS module 80 is within the valid range, and the current date and time are within the validity period, then 433.220 MHz is skipped and not used.

[0041] In this case, as shown in Figure 3(b), the next frequency, 433.240 MHz, is used. In Figure 3(b), skip information 203 indicating that 433.220 MHz was skipped is also displayed on the display screen 200. Note that this is an example where 433.240 MHz is not a skip frequency. As skip information 203, a message such as "433.220 MHz was skipped" is displayed. Therefore, the user can easily understand the scan status and scan skip status by looking at the display screen 200 displayed on the display unit 60.

[0042] Figure 3(c) shows an example using 433.260 MHz, which is obtained by adding a step frequency of 20 kHz to the frequency shown in Figure 3(b).

[0043] Figure 3(d) shows the state where 433.280 MHz, 433.300 MHz, and 433.320 MHz are all skip channels, and therefore 433.340 MHz is set as the next channel. In this case, skip information 204 indicating that 433.280 MHz, 433.300 MHz, and 433.320 MHz have been skipped is also displayed on the display screen 200. The skip information 204 may include a message such as, "433.280 MHz, 433.300 MHz, and 433.320 MHz have been skipped." Therefore, the user can easily understand the scan status and scan skip status by looking at the display screen 200 displayed on the display unit 60. In the example of Figure 3(d), all the cells of icon 202 are displayed in white, which indicates that the signal strength is "level 0". In other words, the user can easily determine that 433.340 MHz is an available channel. If the signal strength is "level 0", no sound is output from the audio output unit 40, and the screen display continues only for a second predetermined time.

[0044] Figure 3(e) shows an example where 433.360 MHz, which is obtained by adding 20 kHz of the step frequency to the frequency in Figure 3(d), is used. In the example of Figure 3(e), all cells of the icon 202 are displayed in white, indicating that the signal strength is "level 0". That is, the user can easily determine that 433.360 MHz is an empty channel. As described above, when the reception processing unit 101 detects noise due to interfering radio waves or the like and performs a process of not outputting sound from the voice output unit 40, the discomfort of the user is reduced and the convenience is improved. In this case, even in a silent state, the level meter rises to a level other than "0", so the user can easily grasp that it is a channel with interfering radio waves or the like. Therefore, the user can easily perform the skip operation described later.

[0045] In addition, the scan control unit 130 may change the display form of the frequency on the display screen 200 according to whether the frequency is to be skipped. For example, in Figure 3(b), the skipped frequency (433.220 MHz) may be displayed in red, and the frequency being scanned (433.240 MHz) may be displayed in white.

[0046] Also, the scan control unit 130 may change the display form of the frequency on the display screen 200 according to the reason for using the set frequency (for example, the reason or factor for not skipping). For example, in Figure 3(c), the frequency being scanned (433.260 MHz) is not skipped, but the display color of the character string of that frequency may be changed according to the reason. For example, when the frequency is not registered in the scan skip information, the scan control unit 130 may display it in white, when the frequency is registered in the scan skip information but the current position is outside the valid range, it may display it in blue, and when the frequency is registered in the scan skip information but the current date and time has passed the expiration date, it may display it in yellow.

[0047] Of course, changing the display color of the character string is just an example and is not limited thereto. For example, the scan control unit 130 may display different icons. That is, depending on whether the set frequency matches the scan skip frequency or the reason for using that frequency (the reason not to skip), the display form of the information displayed on the display unit 60 may be changed.

[0048] (Flow of Scan Processing) The flow of the scan processing (channel scan processing) according to the first embodiment will be described using FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of the scan processing executed in the terminal device according to the first embodiment.

[0049] When a predetermined operation is performed by the user on the terminal device 10 (for example, the VFO key is long-pressed), for example, the scan processing in FIG. 4 is started.

[0050] When the terminal device 10 starts the processing in FIG. 4, it is assumed that a scan skip information registration table, which will be described in detail later, is stored in the scan skip information storage unit 91 in advance. The scan skip information registration table includes information on the channels to be skipped in the channel scan processing. The scan skip information registration table may be generated by the own station in the process of step S120 described later, or may be acquired from another station as described in the second embodiment.

[0051] The scan control unit 103 sets the scan frequency (step S10). For example, the scan control unit 103 may read out the frequency for performing the first scan from the storage unit 90 and set it. In the example of FIG. 3, "433.200 MHz" in FIG. 3(a) is set as the frequency to be used first.

[0052] The scan control unit 103 acquires the position information of the own station from the GNSS module 80 (step S20). That is, the scan control unit 103 acquires the current latitude and longitude of the own station.

[0053] The scan control unit 103 determines whether the scan frequency set in step S20 corresponds to a scan skip frequency (step S30). Specifically, the scan control unit 103 refers to the scan skip information registration table of the scan skip information storage unit 91 and determines whether the scan frequency set in step S10 exists among the scan skip frequencies. In other words, the scan control unit 103 acquires data from the scan skip information registration table and uses it in the processing of the flowchart in Figure 4. For this reason, the scan control unit 103 (control unit 100) functions as a scan skip information acquisition unit. If the scan frequency set in step S10 exists among the scan skip frequencies, the scan control unit 103 identifies the record (row) (multiple records if there are multiple) for that scan frequency. Note that if the registration date and time of the identified record is old (for example, if the registration date and time is more than one year old), the scan control unit 103 may ignore that record and consider that no scan skip frequency exists. If the scan skip frequency is applicable (step S30: Yes), proceed to step S40; otherwise, proceed to step S70.

[0054] Figure 5 shows a first storage format of the scan skip information registration table according to the first embodiment. As shown in this figure, the scan skip information registration table T1 is a table that stores the scan skip frequency (skip frequency), location information (latitude, longitude), effective distance, effective time, and registration date and time in association with each other.

[0055] Scan skip frequencies are frequencies that should be skipped (not used) during the scan process. For example, frequencies where normal reception processing cannot be performed due to strong electromagnetic waves (such as interference) emitted from equipment other than the communication system are registered as scan skip frequencies. As shown in Figure 5, the same scan skip frequency may be registered in multiple records (rows).

[0056] The location information indicates the location where the terminal device 10 registered the scan skip frequency, and consists of latitude and longitude. The location information is the local station's location information (latitude, longitude) acquired by the GNSS module 80. There is a high probability that strong interference radio waves exist in the vicinity of this location information.

[0057] The effective distance indicates the distance (range) over which scan skipping is effective, based on location information. In the example shown in Figure 5, three distance levels (three categories) are used: short, medium, and long distance, but it is not limited to these. The distance may also be recorded as a specific numerical value (for example, 5 km). As will be described later, by combining the effective distance and location information, the area to which scan skipping information should be applied (also called the effective area or effective range) can be derived (defined). In other words, in this embodiment, a circle with the location information as the center and a radius corresponding to the effective distance becomes the area to which scan skipping information should be applied. For this reason, the effective distance and location information are sometimes called area definition information or area identification information.

[0058] The validity period indicates the time (duration) during which scan skipping is enabled, based on the registration date and time. In the example shown in Figure 5, three time levels (three categories) are used: short, medium, and long, but it is not limited to these. The time may also be recorded as a specific numerical value (for example, 2 hours).

[0059] The registration date and time is the date and time when the scan skip frequency was registered. While the scan skip information registration table T1 is generally updated, older data may be deleted as appropriate. For example, the control unit 100 may delete data older than one year. This is because older data may not reflect the current radio wave conditions. As described later, by combining the validity period and the registration date and time, the deadline (expiration date) for applying the scan skip information can be derived (defined). In other words, in this embodiment, the date and time (point in time) obtained by adding the validity period to the registration date and time becomes the deadline for applying the scan skip information. For this reason, the validity period and registration date and time are sometimes referred to as deadline defining information or deadline specifying information.

[0060] Figure 6 shows a second storage format of the scan skip information registration table according to the first embodiment. The difference between scan skip information registration table T2 and scan skip information registration table T1 shown in Figure 5 is that an item called "number of skip channels" has been added. The number of skip channels will be explained later.

[0061] Note that while the scan skip frequency is recorded in the scan skip information registration table T1 in Figure 5 and the scan skip information registration table T2 in Figure 6, it is not limited to this. For example, the channel number may be recorded instead of the scan skip frequency. In other words, the channel number to be skipped may be recorded in the scan skip information registration table. Note that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the channel number and the channel frequency, and the receiving unit 21 receives at the corresponding channel frequency when the receiving processing unit 101 specifies the channel number. In this case, the scan control unit 103 can perform the processing using the channel number instead of the scan skip frequency in the flowchart of Figure 4.

[0062] Furthermore, while the scan skip information registration table T1 in Figure 5 and the scan skip information registration table T2 in Figure 6 record effective distance and position information as area definition information, this is not the only way to do so. For example, the coordinates (position information) of the effective area to which the scan skip information should be applied may be directly recorded. For example, the effective area may be defined by a polygon, and the coordinates (position information) of the polygon's vertices may be recorded as area definition information. In this case, position information and effective distance may be omitted.

[0063] Furthermore, while the scan skip information registration table T1 in Figure 5 and the scan skip information registration table T2 in Figure 6 record the validity period and registration date and time as expiration period information, this is not the only way to do so. For example, the expiration date to which the scan skip information should be applied may be recorded directly. For example, the date and time indicating the expiration date may be recorded as expiration period information. In this case, the validity period and registration date and time may be omitted.

[0064] Returning to the explanation of Figure 4. Step S30: If the answer is Yes, the scan control unit 103 calculates the distance between its own location (current location) and the location information of the scan skip information (step S40). Specifically, the scan control unit 103 refers to the scan skip information registration table and calculates the distance between the location information obtained in step S20 and the location information of the record identified in step S30. If multiple records are identified, the scan control unit 103 calculates the distance corresponding to each record.

[0065] The scan control unit 103 calculates (derives) the expiration date (step S50). First, the scan control unit 103 refers to the scan skip information registration table and obtains the registration date and time and the validity period category. Next, the scan control unit 103 refers to the time category table stored in the scan skip information storage unit 91 and converts the validity period category into a specific numerical value.

[0066] Figure 7 shows an example of a time category table according to the first embodiment. In the time category table T3 shown in Figure 7, short time is converted to 1 hour, medium time to 2 hours, and long time to 8 hours. The scan control unit 103 then calculates the expiration date (valid date and time) by adding the converted valid time to the registration date and time. For example, in the example in Figure 6, the registration date and time of the data in the first row is "January 1, 2023, 10:32:40 AM", and the valid time is "short time" and "1 hour", so the expiration date is calculated as "January 1, 2023, 11:32:40 AM", which is the registration date and time plus 1 hour. The control unit 100 may also display the contents of the time category table T3 on the display unit 60, or allow the user to change (edit) the contents of the time category table T3.

[0067] Returning to the explanation of Figure 4, the scan control unit 103 determines whether its own location (current location) is within the valid range and whether the current date and time are within the validity period (step S60). First, the scan control unit 103 calculates the valid distance. Specifically, the scan control unit 103 refers to the distance category table stored in the scan skip information storage unit 91 and obtains the category of the valid distance. Next, the scan control unit 103 refers to the distance category table and converts the category of the valid distance into a specific numerical value.

[0068] Figure 8 shows an example of a distance category table according to the first embodiment. In the distance category table T4 shown in Figure 8, short distances are converted to 1 km, medium distances to 3 km, and long distances to 10 km. Next, the scan control unit 103 determines that the distance calculated in step S40 is within the valid range if it is less than or equal to the valid distance, and otherwise determines that it is outside the valid range. The scan control unit 103 also determines that the validity period is within the validity period if the current date and time has not exceeded the validity period calculated in step S50. The control unit 100 may also display the contents of the distance category table T4 shown in Figure 8 on the display unit 60, or allow the user to change (edit) the contents of the distance category table T4.

[0069] Furthermore, the contents of the distance category table T4 may be changed according to the communication standard, radio wave frequency, signal strength, etc. For example, in a communication standard with a wider radio wave range than the example in Figure 8, the distance category table T4 may be created so that short distance is converted to 10 km, medium distance to 30 km, and long distance to 100 km. If the terminal device 10 supports multiple communication standards, a separate distance category table T4 may be stored for each communication standard.

[0070] Furthermore, if the scan control unit 103 identifies multiple records in step S30, it determines whether each record is within the valid range and within its expiration date, and if one or more records satisfy these conditions, it determines "Yes".

[0071] If the station's current location is within the valid range and the current date and time are within the validity period (Step S60: Yes), proceed to Step S125; otherwise (Step S60: No), proceed to Step S70.

[0072] In step S70, the receiving processing unit 101 controls the receiving unit 21 to start receiving the scan frequency set in step S10. The scan control unit 103 obtains the signal strength of the RF signal from the receiving processing unit 101 and displays an icon 202 (level meter) indicating the signal strength of the RF signal on the display unit 60, as shown in Figure 3.

[0073] The receiving processing unit 101 determines whether or not there is an RF signal (high-frequency signal) (step S80). Specifically, the receiving processing unit 101 determines Yes if the receiving unit 21 detects an RF signal of a certain level (predetermined value) or higher. If there is an RF signal (step S80: Yes), the process proceeds to step S90; if there is no RF signal (step S80: No), the process proceeds to step S125.

[0074] In step S90, the scan control unit 103 controls the reception processing unit 101 and the notification unit 70 to perform audio output processing and notification processing. Specifically, the reception processing unit 101 outputs the audio signal extracted from the RF signal to the audio output unit 40. The notification unit 70 also notifies the user that the scan has been temporarily paused because an RF signal is present at the set frequency, by outputting a notification sound or lighting an LED. Note that the notification processing can be omitted.

[0075] The scan control unit 103 determines whether or not a scan skip operation has been performed (step S100). If the user wishes to skip the currently set (receiving) frequency, they perform a predetermined operation on the operation unit (such as pressing a predetermined key). The scan control unit 103 detects the user's scan skip operation via the operation unit. If a scan skip operation has been performed (step S100: Yes), the process proceeds to step S120. If no scan skip operation has been performed (step S100: No), the process proceeds to step S110.

[0076] In step S110, the scan control unit 103 determines whether a first predetermined time has elapsed since the audio output processing and notification processing. As described above, the first predetermined time can be, for example, 2 seconds, but is not limited to this. If the first predetermined time has elapsed (step S110: Yes), the process proceeds to step S130. If the first predetermined time has not elapsed (step S110: No), the process returns to step S100 and is repeated. In other words, if the user performs a scan skip operation within the first predetermined time after the RF signal is detected at the set frequency, the process proceeds to step S120; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S130.

[0077] In Step S120, the scan control unit 103 performs a scan skip registration process. Details of the scan skip registration process will be described later.

[0078] In step S125, the scan control unit 103 continues the screen display for a second predetermined time. Since step S125 is performed when there is no RF signal, silence continues for the second predetermined time, and the screen displays "0" on the level meter. This allows the user to easily recognize an empty channel. As described above, the second predetermined time is shorter than the first predetermined time, for example, it may be 1 second, but it is not limited to this. The process proceeds from step S125 to step S130.

[0079] In step S130, the scan control unit 103 determines whether or not a scan termination operation has been performed. If the user performs a predetermined operation (for example, by pressing the VFO key again), it is determined that a scan termination operation has been performed. If a scan termination operation has been performed (step S130: Yes), the process is terminated. After the scan process is terminated, the terminal device 10 continues to receive the currently set frequency. If there is no scan termination operation (step S130: No), the process proceeds to step S140.

[0080] In step S140, the scan control unit 103 switches to the next frequency. Specifically, the scan control unit 103 performs one of the following processes.

[0081] (1. When using the first storage format of the scan skip information registration table) In this case, the scan control unit 103 sets the value obtained by adding a step frequency (for example, 20 kHz) to the currently set frequency as the new scan frequency. If the added value exceeds the upper limit of the scan frequency, the scan control unit 103 sets the lower limit of the scan frequency as the new scan frequency. Since the lower and upper limits of the scan frequency are stored in the storage unit 90, the scan control unit 103 only needs to refer to them. In other words, when using the first storage format, in step S140, the same processing as in a normal scan process can be performed, and no special processing is required. For this reason, as will be explained in the second embodiment, when exchanging scan skip information between multiple terminal devices 10, using the first storage format is preferable as it makes it easier to ensure compatibility.

[0082] (2. When using the second storage format of the scan skip information registration table) In this case, the scan control unit 103 determines whether or not step S140 has been reached via step S60: Yes.

[0083] Step S60: If Yes is selected, the scan control unit 103 refers to the number of skip channels in the scan skip information registration table and calculates a value (multiplicative value) obtained by multiplying the step frequency (for example, 20 kHz) by the number of skip channels. Then, the scan control unit 103 sets the value obtained by adding the multiplicative value to the currently set frequency as the new scan frequency.

[0084] If step S60: Yes is not selected, the scan control unit 103 sets the current set frequency plus the step frequency as the new scan frequency. When using the second storage format, the processing in step S140 becomes slightly more complex, but the storage capacity used in the scan skip information registration table can be reduced. For this reason, the second storage format is suitable when it is desired to reduce the capacity of the scan skip information storage unit 91 and store data efficiently.

[0085] After the completion of the process in step S140, the scan control unit 103 returns to step S20 and repeats the process. In the above description, the frequency is increased sequentially in step frequency units during the scan process, but this is not the only option; the frequency may also be decreased sequentially.

[0086] The above is an explanation of the flowchart in Figure 4. As described above, in step S60, it is determined whether the station's location (current location) is within the valid range and whether the current date and time is within the validity period. If the determination result is true, reception processing is not performed and the channel of the scan skip information is skipped. In other words, the scan control unit 103 skips the channel included in the scan skip information if the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit is within the area defined by the scan skip information and the current date and time is within the validity period defined by the scan skip information.

[0087] Next, the scan skip registration process will be explained using Figure 9. Figure 9 is a flowchart detailing the scan skip registration process that is executed in step S120 when a scan skip operation (skip operation) is performed by the user in step S100 of Figure 4. In Figure 9, the receiving processing unit 101 detects the signal characteristics of the channel on which the skip operation was performed, and the scan control unit 103 generates scan skip information that includes information on the channel to be skipped in the scan process based on the signal characteristics, and registers it in the scan skip information registration table.

[0088] The scan control unit 103 acquires frequency information for the scan frequency set in step S10 of Figure 4 (step S200).

[0089] The scan control unit 103 acquires its own location information (latitude and longitude) from the GNSS module 80 (step S210). The scan control unit 103 may use the location information acquired in step S20 of Figure 4, or it may acquire location information again.

[0090] The receiving processing unit 101 acquires the signal strength from the receiving unit 21 (step S220). The signal strength is indicated by a numerical value, such as "-70 dBm". The signal strength is one of the characteristics of the signal of the channel on which the skip operation was performed (the channel to be processed).

[0091] The scan control unit 103 calculates the effective distance based on the signal strength (step S230). In this embodiment, three categories are used for the effective distance: "short distance," "medium distance," and "long distance," but it is not limited to these. For example, the scan control unit 103 sets the effective distance to "short distance" when the signal strength is less than a first predetermined value, to "medium distance" when the signal strength is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value but less than a second predetermined value, and to "long distance" when the signal strength is greater than or equal to the second predetermined value. Here, the first predetermined value is a smaller value than the second predetermined value; for example, the first predetermined value may be "-80 dBm" and the second predetermined value may be "-60 dBm." In other words, the stronger (higher) the signal strength, the longer the effective distance is set. Note that the scan control unit 103 may calculate a specific numerical value such as "10 km" as the effective distance instead of generating such distance categories. For example, the effective distance may be calculated based on a predetermined formula such that the effective distance increases as the signal strength increases.

[0092] The receiving processing unit 101 determines the signal type (step S240). Specifically, the receiving processing unit 101 determines the signal type by one of the following methods. In this embodiment, three signal types are identified: digital communication, analog communication, and non-communication (e.g., jamming radio waves). The signal type is one of the characteristics of the signal of the channel on which the skip operation was performed (the channel to be processed).

[0093] [First Signal Type Determination Method] The first signal type determination method involves the receiving processing unit 101 controlling the receiving unit 21 to sequentially demodulate the received signal using multiple wireless methods, and determining the signal type based on the demodulated method. For example, in digital communication, data is divided into small units called frames and transmitted. Specifically, the transmitting side inserts a frame sync (frame synchronization) into frames at regular intervals, and the receiving side searches for the frame sync (frame synchronization) and recognizes its starting point. In other words, the receiving side can determine whether a signal is digital by detecting the frame sync of the digital signal for a certain period of time. For example, D-STAR (registered trademark), which is used in amateur radio digital communication, can be determined using this method. The receiving unit 21 is equipped with a demodulation function that corresponds to each of multiple (for example, five) digital communication standards, and the receiving processing unit 101 may sequentially specify the communication standard to be used to the receiving unit 21 and perform processing.

[0094] If the receiving processing unit 101 determines that it is not a digital communication, it then determines whether it is an analog communication. For example, the receiving processing unit 101 sequentially performs demodulation processing such as amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, and phase modulation, and if it is able to extract a valid audio signal, it determines that it is an analog communication.

[0095] The receiving processing unit 101 determines that a signal is not a communication signal if it does not fall under either digital or analog communication. For example, the receiving processing unit 101 may also determine that a signal with an abnormally strong signal strength (above a predetermined value) or a signal with large fluctuations in signal strength is not a communication signal (such as jamming radio waves). The receiving processing unit 101 may also determine that a signal with large fluctuations in S / N ratio is not a communication signal.

[0096] [Second Signal Type Determination Method] The second signal type determination method is a method of determining the signal type by analyzing the high-frequency signal received by the receiving unit 21. For example, the receiving processing unit 101 may parameterize time-domain features such as rising edge, falling edge, overshoot, and ringing of the high-frequency signal, and frequency-domain features such as phase noise, similar to the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-158209, and use machine learning techniques to determine the signal type, such as digital communication, analog communication, or non-communication. These processes can be performed in cooperation between the receiving unit 21 and the receiving processing unit 101.

[0097] The scan control unit 103 calculates the effective time based on the signal type (step S250). Specifically, the scan control unit 103 sets the effective time to a short duration if the signal type is digital communication, to a medium duration if the signal type is analog communication, and to a long duration if the signal type is anything other than communication. This process is based on the general understanding that digital communication is more likely to occupy a single channel for a shorter time than analog communication. Generally, digital communication has better sound quality (less noise and clearer speech), so the frequency of needing to confirm what is being said (such as asking for repetition) is lower, and the communication time is likely to be shorter than with analog communication. In addition, digital communication can transmit non-voice data such as source information and location information at high speed, so less information needs to be conveyed by voice, and the communication time is likely to be shorter than with analog communication. Furthermore, this process is based on the understanding that non-communication interference radio waves generated from equipment and facilities other than the communication system are more likely to persist for a longer period of time than communication radio waves.

[0098] The scan control unit 103 calculates the number of channels to skip (number of skipped channels) based on the signal strength and signal type (step S260). Details of this process will be described later.

[0099] The scan control unit 103 registers the scan skip information in the scan skip information registration table (step S270). Specifically, the scan control unit 103 sets the frequency information acquired in step S200, the position information acquired in step S210, the effective distance calculated in step S230, and the effective time calculated in step S250 into the corresponding items in the table, and sets the date and time of processing as the registration date and time. When using the scan skip information registration table T1, which is the first storage format shown in Figure 5, the scan control unit 103 adds records (rows) to the table by the number of skip channels calculated in step S260. For example, if the number of channels to skip is 1, the scan control unit 103 adds one record as shown in the first row of Figure 5.

[0100] For example, if the number of channels to skip is 3, the scan control unit 103 adds three records, as shown in the second to fourth rows of Figure 5. In Figure 5, the records in the second to fourth rows, where the registration date and time background is diagonal, are records that were registered all at once when the number of channels to skip is 3. In this case, the scan skip frequency includes not only the frequency of the channel on which the scan skip operation was performed, but also the frequencies of the channels before and after it (-20 kHz and +20 kHz). In addition, items other than the scan skip frequency are common to all three records.

[0101] For example, if the number of channels to skip is 5, the scan control unit 103 adds 5 records, as shown in lines 5 to 9 of Figure 5. In Figure 5, the records in lines 5 to 9, where the background of the registration date and time is halftone, are records that were registered all at once when the number of channels to skip is 5. In this case, the scan skip frequency is registered not only for the frequency of the channel on which the scan skip operation was performed, but also for the two channels before and after it (frequencies of -40kHz, -20kHz, +20kHz, and +40kHz). In addition, items other than the scan skip frequency are common to all 5 records.

[0102] When using the second storage format, the scan skip information registration table T2 shown in Figure 6, the scan control unit 103 registers the number of skip channels calculated in step S260 into the number of skip channels in the scan skip information registration table T2. In this case, the scan control unit 103 adds one record regardless of the number of skip channels. In the example shown in Figure 6, the first record is registered when the number of skip channels is 1, the second record is registered when the number of skip channels is 3, and the third record is registered when the number of skip channels is 5.

[0103] Furthermore, when the scan skip registration process is performed, the notification unit 70 may notify the user audibly or visually. For example, it may output a notification sound in a tone that indicates the registration of scan skip information created by the station, or light up an LED in a color that indicates the registration of scan skip information created by the station.

[0104] Next, we will explain the details of the process in step S260 of Figure 9 using Figure 10. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the details of the process for calculating the number of skip channels in step S260 of Figure 9.

[0105] The scan control unit 103 determines whether the signal type is digital communication or not (step S300). For example, the scan control unit 103 can obtain the signal type determined in step S240 of Figure 9 from the receiving processing unit 101 and make the determination. If the communication type is digital communication (step S300: Yes), proceed to step S340; otherwise (step S300: No), proceed to step S310.

[0106] In step S310, the scan control unit 103 determines whether the signal type is analog communication or not. For example, the scan control unit 103 can obtain the signal type determined in step S240 in Figure 9 from the receiving processing unit 101 and make the determination. If the communication type is analog communication (step S310: Yes), the process proceeds to step S320; otherwise (step S310: No), the process proceeds to step S330.

[0107] In step S320, the scan control unit 103 determines whether the signal strength is equal to or greater than a first threshold. For example, the scan control unit 103 can make this determination using the signal strength acquired in step S220 in Figure 9. As the first threshold, it is preferable to use a signal strength that is likely to affect adjacent channels in analog communication. If the signal strength is equal to or greater than the first threshold (step S320: Yes), the process proceeds to step S350; otherwise (step S320: No), the process proceeds to step S340.

[0108] In step S330, the scan control unit 103 determines whether the signal strength is equal to or greater than the second threshold. For example, the scan control unit 103 can use the signal strength acquired in step S220 in Figure 9 to determine whether the signal strength is equal to or greater than the second threshold. Note that the processing in step S330 is performed only when the signal type is other than communication. Therefore, it is preferable to use the signal strength expected from strong interfering radio waves emitted from sources other than the communication equipment of this communication system as the second threshold. The second threshold may be the same as or different from the first threshold. If the signal strength is equal to or greater than the second threshold (step S330: Yes), the process proceeds to step S360; otherwise (step S330: No), the process proceeds to step S340.

[0109] In step S340, the scan control unit 103 sets the number of skip channels to 1 (the first number). That is, the scan control unit 103 sets the number of skip channels to 1 (the first number) in the following cases: (1) when the signal type is digital communication, (2) when the signal type is analog communication and the signal strength is relatively weak (below the first threshold), and (3) when the signal type is not communication and the signal strength is relatively weak (below the second threshold). This is a process based on the knowledge that in the above cases (1) to (3), the impact on adjacent channels is likely to be relatively small. The scan control unit 103 finishes the calculation process of the number of skip channels in step S340.

[0110] In step S350, the scan control unit 103 sets the number of skip channels to 3 (the second number). In other words, the scan control unit 103 sets the number of skip channels to 3 (the second number) when the signal type is analog communication and the signal strength is relatively strong (above the first threshold). This process is based on the understanding that when the signal strength is relatively strong in analog communication, there is a high possibility that it will have a considerable impact on adjacent channels. The scan control unit 103 finishes calculating the number of skip channels in step S350.

[0111] In step S360, the scan control unit 103 sets the number of skip channels to 5 (the third number). In other words, the scan control unit 103 sets the number of skip channels to 5 (the third number) when the signal type is other than communication and the signal strength is relatively strong (above the second threshold). This process is based on the understanding that when the signal strength is relatively strong for radio waves other than communication, there is a high possibility that it will have a very large impact on adjacent channels. In this embodiment, the first number is set to "1", the second number to "3", and the third number to "5", but the values ​​are not limited to these. The second number should be greater than the first number, and the third number should be greater than the second number.

[0112] Although the flowchart in Figure 10 uses signal strength, the scan control unit 103 may set the number of skip channels without using signal strength. For example, the scan control unit 103 may set the number of skip channels to a first number (e.g., 1) when the signal type is digital communication, to a second number (e.g., 3) when the signal type is analog communication, and to a third number (e.g., 5) when the signal type is something other than communication. In other words, when the signal type is digital communication, the number of skip channels should be less than when it is analog communication, and when the signal type is something other than communication, the number of skip channels should be more than when it is analog communication. Furthermore, although the above explanation determines three types of signal types, it is not limited to these, and the receiving processing unit 101 only needs to determine at least two types of signal types. For example, the receiving processing unit 101 may determine whether the signal of the channel to be processed is a communication signal or a non-communication signal, and the scan control unit 103 may set the number of skip channels according to whether or not it is a communication signal. For example, the scan control unit 103 may set the number of skip channels to a first number when the signal is a communication signal, and set the number of skip channels to a second number greater than the first number when the signal is not a communication signal.

[0113] Furthermore, in the above explanation, when there are multiple skip channels, the number of skip channels is odd because the channels before and after (upper and lower) the frequency of the channel on which the scan skip operation was performed are registered symmetrically, but this is not limited to that. For example, the scan control unit 103 may set the number of skip channels to 1 when the signal type is digital communication, to 2 when the signal type is analog communication, and to 3 when the signal type is anything other than communication. Then, for example, when the number of skip channels is 2, the scan control unit 103 may register the frequency of the channel on which the scan skip operation was performed and the next channel (the channel with a higher frequency) as skip channels. Alternatively, for example, when the number of skip channels is 2, the scan control unit 103 may register the frequency of the channel on which the scan skip operation was performed and the channel before it (the channel with a lower frequency) as skip channels. For example, this type of processing is effective when the user is unable to register the previous channel as a skip channel within a predetermined time.

[0114] As described above, when using the second storage format shown in Figure 6, the number of skip channels is registered in the scan skip information registration table T2. Furthermore, information (items) indicating the direction of the frequencies to be skipped, based on the scan skip frequency, may be added. For example, an item (column) called "Skip Direction" may be added to the scan skip information registration table T2. The skip direction can take on three values, for example, "± (plus or minus)", "+ (plus)", and "- (minus)". For example, if the number of scan channels is 3, the scan control unit 103 can set the skip direction to "±" when skipping frequencies before and after (above and below) the scan skip frequency, to "+" when skipping the scan skip frequency and the two frequencies above it, and to "-" when skipping the scan skip frequency and the two frequencies below it. This allows the terminal device 10 to skip multiple frequencies more appropriately and efficiently when performing scan processing by referring to the scan skip information registration table T2.

[0115] The above explanation assumes that the effective distance, effective time, and number of skip channels are calculated, but it is not limited to these. For example, the calculation of the number of skip channels may be omitted, and only the effective distance and effective time may be calculated. In this case, the number of skip channels can be fixed to "1" and the processing can be carried out. Fixing the number of skip channels to "1" may increase the number of user operations during the scan process, but the efficiency of the scan process will still improve, thus improving user convenience.

[0116] Alternatively, for example, the calculation of the effective distance and the number of skip channels may be omitted, and only the effective time may be calculated. In this case, in step S60, it is sufficient to determine whether the current date and time are within the validity period. In situations where the terminal device 10 does not move much, processing without using the effective distance is sufficiently effective.

[0117] Similarly, the calculation of the effective time and the number of skip channels may be omitted, and only the effective distance may be calculated. In this case, in step S60, it is sufficient to determine whether the station's position is within the effective range. In situations where interference signals occur continuously or frequently at a specific location, processing without using the effective time is sufficiently effective.

[0118] Similarly, the calculation of effective distance and effective time may be omitted, and only the number of skip channels may be calculated. In this case, steps S40 to S60 may be omitted, and the process may proceed from step S30: Yes to step S130. Then, in step S140, processing may be performed using the number of skip channels. In situations where the terminal device 10 does not move much, and where interference radio waves occur continuously or frequently in a specific location, processing without using effective distance and effective time is sufficiently effective.

[0119] In other words, the terminal device 10 (communication device) may calculate at least one of the effective distance, effective time, and number of skipped channels based on the signal characteristics of the channel (a predetermined channel) on which the skip operation was performed, and include it in the scan skip information. The signal characteristics of the predetermined channel are the signal strength and / or signal type.

[0120] As mentioned above, the effective distance is area definition information that defines the area to which the scan skip information should be applied, and the scan control unit 103 may include coordinates (position information) that define the area in the scan skip information instead of the effective distance. Of course, coordinates (position information) that define the area are one type of area definition information. In other words, the scan control unit 103 may include information that allows for the derivation of the area to which the scan skip information should be applied, or the result of deriving that area, in the scan skip information.

[0121] As mentioned above, the validity period is deadline information that defines the deadline for applying the scan skip information, and the scan control unit 103 may include an expiration date in the scan skip information instead of the validity period. Of course, the expiration date is one type of deadline information. In other words, the scan control unit 103 may include in the scan skip information information information from which the deadline for applying the scan skip information can be derived, or the result of deriving that deadline.

[0122] In summary, the terminal device 10 (communication device) generates scan skip information, which includes at least one of area definition information, deadline definition information, and the number of skip channels, based on the signal characteristics of the channel (a predetermined channel) on which the skip operation was performed.

[0123] Next, the scan skip information list displayed by the terminal device 10 will be described. By performing a predetermined operation, the user can have scan skip information displayed on the display unit 60 of the terminal device 10. When the control unit 100 of the terminal device 10 receives a predetermined operation from the user via the operation unit 50, it reads data from the scan skip information storage unit 91 and displays it on the display unit 60.

[0124] Figure 11 shows an example of a scan skip information list displayed on the display unit 60 according to the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 11, the display unit 60 displays the scan skip information list L1, including the line number (data number), scan skip frequency, location information (latitude, longitude), effective distance, effective time, and registration date and time. A cursor ">" is also displayed on the left edge of the screen.

[0125] The user can move the cursor and select any data (row) by performing predetermined operations such as pressing the arrow keys. When the user has selected data, pressing the delete button 320 displayed at the bottom of the screen will delete the selected scan skip information. Data deleted by the user is removed from the scan skip information storage unit 91. The user can check the scan skip information list and delete, for example, data with an old registration date or data for frequencies they do not want to scan skip. This prevents the use of scan skip information that is inappropriate for the user, improving user convenience. When the user has selected data, pressing the edit button 310 displayed at the bottom of the screen will allow them to edit (change) the selected scan skip information. For example, the user can edit (change) the effective distance or effective time of the selected data. The user can also select any item in the scan skip information and sort the data in ascending or descending order of the selected item.

[0126] Please note that Figure 11 is merely an example, and the screen display is not limited to this format. For example, checkboxes could be displayed to allow the user to arbitrarily select multiple data items (rows), and then delete or edit multiple data items at once.

[0127] According to this embodiment, based on the characteristics of the signal received during the scan process, scan skip information including area definition information and deadline definition information for defining the applicable conditions is automatically created and effectively utilized in the next scan process, thereby appropriately reducing the scan process and minimizing unnecessary scan processing.

[0128] Furthermore, based on the characteristics of the signals received during the scan process, the system determines the magnitude of the impact on adjacent channels. If the impact is deemed significant, multiple channels are registered in the scan skip information at once, reducing user effort and improving user convenience.

[0129] Furthermore, since unnecessary frequencies are not scanned, the scanning processing time is shortened, improving the convenience for the user of the terminal device 10, and also reducing the battery consumption of the terminal device 10.

[0130] Furthermore, the scanning time is shortened in each terminal device 10 within the communication system 1, and the battery consumption of the terminal devices 10 is reduced, thereby reducing the overall power consumption of the communication system and lowering the burden on the environment.

[0131] [Second Embodiment] In the first embodiment, scan skip information created at the local station was used at the local station. That is, the local station's scanning process could be performed efficiently. In the second embodiment, scan skip information created at the local station is distributed to other terminal devices 10 (other stations) and used at the other stations. That is, in addition to efficiently performing the local station's scanning process, the scanning process of other stations can also be performed efficiently. Furthermore, scan skip information created at other stations may be used at the local station. That is, scan skip information created at any terminal device 10 may be used at any terminal device 10.

[0132] The communication system in the second embodiment has the same configuration as the communication system 1 in the first embodiment shown in Figure 1. The transmission processing unit 102 of the terminal device 10 refers to the scan skip information storage unit 91 and transmits scan skip information to the other terminal device 10 at any time via the transmission unit 22. For example, the transmission processing unit 102 of the terminal device 10 may transmit scan skip information to the other terminal device 10 when the user performs a predetermined operation on the operation unit 50. The terminal device 10 may transmit scan skip information to the other terminal device 10 via the relay station device 12, or it may transmit it directly to the other terminal device 10 without going through the relay station device 12. The reception processing unit 101 of the other terminal device 10 (the destination terminal device 10) stores the scan skip information received via the reception unit 21 in the scan skip information storage unit 91.

[0133] Furthermore, there may be one or more destination terminal devices 10. For example, the transmitting terminal device 10 may send scan skip information in a batch to one or more arbitrary number of terminal devices 10 located near its own station (for example, within a predetermined distance). Alternatively, the transmitting terminal device 10 may send scan skip information in a batch to one or more arbitrary number of terminal devices 10 belonging to a specific group. Alternatively, the management device (not shown) of the communication system 1 and each relay station device 12 may cooperate to send (distribute) scan skip information to all terminal devices 10 in the communication system 1. The relay station device 12 may also store the scan skip information received from the transmitting terminal device 10 and distribute it to other terminal devices 10 at an appropriate time.

[0134] Figure 12 shows the first storage format of the scan skip information registration table stored in the scan skip information storage unit according to the second embodiment. As shown in this figure, the difference between the scan skip information registration table T5 and the scan skip information registration table T1 according to the first embodiment is that an item called "Information Source" has been added; otherwise, they are the same. The "Information Source" item stores the terminal ID (identification information) of the terminal device 10 that created the scan skip information. Although not shown in the figure, a table obtained by adding "Information Source" to the scan skip information registration table T2 according to the first embodiment may be used as the second storage format of the scan skip information registration table according to the second embodiment.

[0135] The transmitting terminal device 10 transmits scan skip information with the configuration shown in Figure 12, and the receiving terminal device 10 stores the received scan skip information in the scan skip information storage unit 91. Note that the receiving terminal device 10 may store only specific scan skip information. For example, it may select and store only data with recent registration dates (e.g., registration dates within a predetermined number of days from the current date), or only data with location information close to its own location information (e.g., within a predetermined distance), or only data whose source is a specific terminal ID.

[0136] Furthermore, when the terminal device 10 receives scan skip information and stores new scan skip information in the scan skip information storage unit 91, the notification unit 70 may notify the user audibly and visually. Also, for example, in order to clearly indicate that scan skip information created by another station has been registered, the terminal device 10 may perform a notification process different from the notification process in the scan skip registration process described in the first embodiment (registration of scan skip information created by the local station). For example, the terminal device 10 may output a notification sound with a tone that indicates the registration of scan skip information created by another station, or light up an LED with a color that indicates the registration of scan skip information created by another station.

[0137] Any terminal device 10 of the communication system 1 stores scan skip information in this manner and can then execute the flowchart shown in Figure 4, which was described in the first embodiment.

[0138] Figure 13 shows an example of a scan skip information list displayed on the display unit 60 in the second embodiment. In the scan skip information list L2 of the second embodiment, in addition to the display items of the scan skip information list L1 of the first embodiment, the information source (terminal ID) is displayed. Furthermore, the list can be sorted in ascending or descending order of terminal ID. Therefore, the user can easily delete or edit data from a specific information source.

[0139] Furthermore, while Figure 13 displays the terminal ID as the source of information, it is not limited to this. For example, the scan control unit 103 may display information or icons that distinguish between "local" and "other stations." For instance, if the local terminal ID is "ID1," the scan control unit 103 may display ID1 as "local" and any other terminal IDs as "other stations." In other words, the scan control unit 103 can compare the source of the scan skip information with the local terminal ID stored in the storage unit 90, and if they match, it will display "local," and if they do not match, it will display "other station." This improves user convenience because even if the user is not familiar with terminal IDs, they can easily understand whether the information is from "local" or "other stations."

[0140] According to the second embodiment, since scan skip information can be shared among the terminal devices 10 within the communication system 1, unnecessary scan processing can be reduced in each terminal device 10 within the communication system 1.

[0141] Furthermore, since users of terminal device 10 can utilize scan skip information registered by other users, the amount of operation required for the user is reduced, and user convenience is improved. For example, even when a user uses terminal device 10 in a new location, they can utilize scan skip information registered by other users, allowing for efficient scanning.

[0142] Furthermore, the scanning time is reduced in each terminal device 10 within the communication system 1, and the battery consumption of the terminal devices 10 is suppressed, thereby reducing the overall power consumption of the communication system 1 and lowering the burden on the environment.

[0143] Furthermore, this disclosure may also take the following configuration: (1) A communication device comprising: a receiving processing unit that detects the characteristics of the signal of a channel that has been skipped in a channel scan process; and a scan control unit that generates scan skip information including information of channels to be skipped in the channel scan process based on the characteristics of the detected signal, wherein the scan skip information includes at least one of area definition information that defines the area to which the scan skip information should be applied, deadline definition information that defines the deadline for which the scan skip information should be applied, and the number of skip channels which is the number of channels to be skipped, and the scan control unit generates at least one of the area definition information, the deadline definition information, or the number of skip channels to be included in the scan skip information based on the characteristics of the detected signal. (2) The communication device according to (1), wherein the receiving processing unit detects the signal type as a characteristic of the signal, the scan skip information includes the number of skip channels which is the number of channels to be skipped in the channel scan process, the scan control unit sets the number of skip channels to a first number when the signal type is digital communication, the number of skip channels to a second number which is greater than the first number when the signal type is analog communication, and the number of skip channels to a third number which is greater than the second number when the signal type is something other than communication. (3) The communication device according to (1) or (2), wherein the receiving processing unit detects the signal type as a characteristic of the signal, the scan control unit sets the deadline setting information so that the deadline is at a first time when the signal type is digital communication, the deadline setting information so that the deadline is at a second time which is later than the first time when the signal type is analog communication, and the deadline setting information so that the deadline is at a third time which is later than the second time when the signal type is something other than communication.(4) The receiving processing unit determines the signal strength of the channel on which the skip operation was performed and generates signal strength information, and the scan control unit generates the scan skip information based on the signal strength information, the communication device according to any one of (1) to (3) above. (5) The area definition information includes an effective distance indicating the radius of the area, and the scan control unit sets the effective distance to a first distance if the signal strength is less than a first predetermined value, sets the effective distance to a second distance longer than the first distance if the signal strength is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value and less than a second predetermined value greater than the first predetermined value, and sets the effective distance to a third distance longer than the second distance if the signal strength is greater than or equal to the second predetermined value, the communication device according to (4) above. (6) The scan skip information is a scan skip information registration table in which a record is created for each channel to be skipped, and the scan control unit adds records to the scan skip information registration table equal to the number of skip channels when the number of skip channels is set, the communication device according to (2) above. (7) A communication device comprising: a scan skip information acquisition unit that acquires scan skip information including information on channels to be skipped in the channel scan process, generated based on the signal characteristics of the channels for which a skip operation was performed in the channel scan process; a location information acquisition unit that acquires location information of the communication device; and a scan control unit that performs channel scan processing based on the scan skip information, wherein the scan skip information includes area definition information that defines the area to which the scan skip information should be applied, and deadline definition information that defines the deadline for which the scan skip information should be applied, and the scan control unit skips the channels included in the scan skip information when the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit is within the area and the current date and time is within the deadline.(8) A communication device comprising: a scan skip information acquisition unit that acquires scan skip information including information on channels to be skipped in the channel scan process, which is generated based on the signal characteristics of the channels on which a skip operation was performed in the channel scan process; and a scan control unit that performs a channel scan process based on the scan skip information, wherein the scan skip information includes a skip frequency, which is the frequency of the channels to be skipped, and a number of skip channels, which is the number of channels to be skipped, and the scan control unit sets the frequency of a new receiving channel based on the number of skip channels when the frequency of a receiving channel corresponds to the skip frequency. (9) The communication device according to (8), wherein the scan skip information is associated with the number of skip channels for each skip frequency, and the scan control unit calculates a multiplicative value by multiplying the step frequency by the number of skip channels when the frequency of a receiving channel corresponds to the skip frequency, and sets the value obtained by adding the multiplicative value to the frequency of the receiving channel as the frequency of a new receiving channel. (10) The communication device according to either (8) or (9), wherein the scan control unit displays the frequency of the skipped receiving channel on a display unit. (11) A program that causes a computer of a communication device to perform the following steps: detecting the characteristics of the signal of a channel that has been skipped in a channel scan process; and generating scan skip information including information about channels to be skipped in a channel scan process based on the detected characteristics of the signal, wherein the scan skip information includes at least one of area definition information defining an area to which the scan skip information should be applied, deadline definition information defining a deadline for which the scan skip information should be applied, and the number of skip channels which is the number of channels to be skipped, and the generation step generates at least one of the area definition information, the deadline definition information, or the number of skip channels to be included in the scan skip information based on the detected characteristics of the signal.(12) A program that causes the computer of a communication device to execute: a step of acquiring scan skip information which includes information on channels to be skipped in the channel scan process, generated based on the signal characteristics of the channels for which a skip operation was performed in the channel scan process; a step of acquiring location information of the communication device; and a scan step which performs a channel scan process based on the scan skip information, wherein the scan skip information includes area definition information which defines the area to which the scan skip information should be applied, and deadline definition information which defines the deadline for which the scan skip information should be applied, and the scan step skips the channels included in the scan skip information if the acquired location information is within the area and the current date and time is within the deadline.

[0144] Each component of the illustrated device is a functional concept and does not necessarily have to be physically configured as shown. In other words, the specific forms of distribution and integration of each device are not limited to those shown, and all or part of them can be functionally or physically distributed and integrated in any unit according to various loads and usage conditions. Furthermore, this distribution and integration configuration may be performed dynamically.

[0145] While embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited by the content of these embodiments. Furthermore, the aforementioned components include those that are readily conceivable to those skilled in the art, those that are substantially identical, and those that fall within the so-called equivalent range. Moreover, the aforementioned components can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the spirit of the embodiments described above.

[0146] The communication device and program of this disclosure can be used, for example, in a wireless communication device.

[0147] 10, 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, 10-4, 10-5 Terminal device 12, 12-1, 12-2, 12-3 Relay station device 20 Communication unit 21 Receiving unit 22 Transmitting unit 23 Antenna 30 Audio input unit 40 Audio output unit 50 Operation unit 60 Display unit 70 Notification unit 80 GNSS module 90 Storage unit 91 Scan skip information storage unit 100 Control unit 101 Receiving processing unit 102 Transmitting processing unit 103 Scan control unit 200 Display screen 201 String 202 Icon 203, 204 Skip information 310 Edit button 320 Delete button

Claims

1. A communication device comprising: a receiving processing unit that detects the characteristics of the signal of a channel that has been skipped in a channel scan process; and a scan control unit that generates scan skip information including information of channels to be skipped in the channel scan process based on the characteristics of the detected signal, wherein the scan skip information includes at least one of area definition information that defines the area to which the scan skip information should be applied, deadline definition information that defines the deadline for which the scan skip information should be applied, and the number of skip channels which is the number of channels to be skipped, and the scan control unit generates at least one of the area definition information, the deadline definition information, or the number of skip channels to be included in the scan skip information based on the characteristics of the detected signal.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the receiving processing unit detects the signal type as a characteristic of the signal, the scan skip information includes the number of skip channels, which is the number of channels to be skipped in the channel scan process, and the scan control unit sets the number of skip channels to a first number if the signal type is digital communication, sets the number of skip channels to a second number greater than the first number if the signal type is analog communication, and sets the number of skip channels to a third number greater than the second number if the signal type is other than communication.

3. The communication device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the receiving processing unit detects the signal type as a characteristic of the signal, the scan control unit sets the deadline setting information so that the deadline is at a first time if the signal type is digital communication, sets the deadline setting information so that the deadline is at a second time later than the first time if the signal type is analog communication, and sets the deadline setting information so that the deadline is at a third time later than the second time if the signal type is something other than communication.

4. A communication device comprising: a scan skip information acquisition unit that acquires scan skip information including information on channels to be skipped in the channel scan process, generated based on the signal characteristics of the channels for which a skip operation was performed in the channel scan process; a location information acquisition unit that acquires location information of the communication device; and a scan control unit that performs channel scan processing based on the scan skip information, wherein the scan skip information includes area definition information that defines the area to which the scan skip information should be applied, and deadline definition information that defines the deadline for which the scan skip information should be applied, and the scan control unit skips the channels included in the scan skip information when the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit is within the area and the current date and time is within the deadline.

5. A program that causes a computer of a communication device to perform the following steps: detecting the characteristics of the signal of a channel that has been skipped in a channel scan process; and generating scan skip information, which includes information about channels to be skipped in the channel scan process, based on the detected characteristics of the signal, wherein the scan skip information includes at least one of area definition information that defines the area to which the scan skip information should be applied; deadline definition information that defines the deadline for which the scan skip information should be applied; and the number of skip channels, which is the number of channels to be skipped, and the generation step generates at least one of the area definition information, the deadline definition information, or the number of skip channels to be included in the scan skip information, based on the detected characteristics of the signal.

6. A program that causes the computer of a communication device to execute: a step of acquiring scan skip information, which includes information on channels to be skipped in the channel scan process, generated based on the signal characteristics of the channels that were skipped in the channel scan process; a step of acquiring location information of the communication device; and a scan step of performing a channel scan process based on the scan skip information, wherein the scan skip information includes area definition information that defines the area to which the scan skip information should be applied, and deadline definition information that defines the deadline for which the scan skip information should be applied, and the scan step skips the channels included in the scan skip information if the acquired location information is within the area and the current date and time is within the deadline.

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