Abstract: One objective of the present invention is to determine a location for a relay terminal in a radio network, without preparatory surveying a radio status, and to arrange the relay terminal at the location. Another objective is to provide a method for retrieving the arranged relay terminal. When a relay terminal is to be arranged, the relay terminal transmits a survey packet to examine the quality of communication with a communication terminal or other relay terminal. Where a location is appropriate, the relay terminal gives a notice. The arranged terminal relays communication. Further, when the relay terminal is to be retrieved, the relay terminal carried by a user transmits a retrieval packet to the arranged relay terminal, which notifies the user of its presence by light, sounds, or returning a packet. In this manner, a single relay terminal provides functions of arrangement, relay and retrieval.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide communication equipment, an inter-vehicle communication control method, and an inter-vehicle communication system by which information can be efficiently transmitted to a designated range even at a blind intersection or on a curved road. Communication equipment that received transfer data including data to be transferred, position information of a destination of the data to be transferred, position information of relay points used to determine a route to the destination, and position information of the last transferring vehicle determines a standby time that becomes shorter as a distance between the position of the last transferring vehicle and the position of the host vehicle becomes longer in the case where the host vehicle is not located in a predetermined range on the basis of the relay points.

Abstract: A mobile terminal retains a communication device allocation priority table in which the allocation priorities of communication devices to respective applications are recorded for each of the communication devices mounted to the mobile terminal. The allocation priorities are determined from the combination of the types of an application and the operation state of the application. The mobile terminal allocates the communication devices to the applications in accordance with the priority orders recorded in the allocation priority table. The allocation priorities recorded in the communication device allocation priority table are varied in accordance with the operation states of the applications and the presence/absence of an alternate device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining traffic condition comprising the steps of determining periodically a position data of a host vehicle 1, wherein the position data includes a time stamp, position, velocity and driving direction of the host vehicle 1, receiving periodically position data of at least an other vehicle 2, 3, 4, wherein the position data includes a time stamp, position, velocity and driving direction of the other vehicle 2, 3, 4, storing the position data of the host vehicle 1 and the position data of at least the other vehicle 2, 3, 4, calculating a relative position data, wherein the relative position data includes relative velocity and relative driving direction between the host vehicle 1 and the other vehicle 2, 3, 4, and judging a traffic condition based on the position data of the host vehicle 1, the position data of the other vehicle 2, 3, 4 and the relative position data.

Abstract: In a route verification method for verifying a route that allows arrival at a destination in a shortest time, a server obtains, via a network, route information including a starting point and destination of a vehicle having a car navigation device, calculates a route with a shortest required time from the starting point to the destination based on the route information obtained from a plurality of vehicles, and transmits route information with the shortest required time to a terminal device, and the terminal device displays on a display the route with the shortest required time and a route on which the target vehicle runs from the starting point to the destination, wherein the route with the shortest required time is calculated using a link travel time, in the time to be expected that the target vehicle runs, included in the route information obtained from the plurality of vehicles.

Abstract: One objective of the present invention is to determine a location for a relay terminal in a radio network, without preparatory surveying a radio status and to arrange the relay terminal at the location. Another objective is to provide a method for retrieving the arranged relay terminal. When a relay terminal is to be arranged, the relay terminal transmits a survey packet to examine the quality of communication with a communication terminal or other relay terminal. Where a location is appropriate, the relay terminal gives a notice. The arranged terminal relays communication. Further, when the relay terminal is to be retrieved, the relay terminal carried by a user transmits a retrieval packet to the arranged relay terminal, which notifies the user of its presence by light, sounds, or returning a packet. In this manner, a single relay terminal provides functions of arrangement, relay and retrieval.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining traffic condition comprising the steps of determining periodically a position data of a host vehicle 1, wherein the position data includes a time stamp, position, velocity and driving direction of the host vehicle 1, receiving periodically position data of at least an other vehicle 2, 3, 4, wherein the position data includes a time stamp, position, velocity and driving direction of the other vehicle 2, 3, 4, storing the position data of the host vehicle 1 and the position data of at least the other vehicle 2, 3, 4, calculating a relative position data, wherein the relative position data includes relative velocity and relative driving direction between the host vehicle 1 and the other vehicle 2, 3, 4, and judging a traffic condition based on the position data of the host vehicle 1, the position data of the other vehicle 2, 3, 4 and the relative position data.

Abstract: An Apparatus and a method are for community-based communication between a first mobile node and at least one second mobile node. The apparatus and method for community-based communication allow to easily build a community, to recognize community members in communication range, to display symbols representing recognized community members on an on-board screen, and to interact with the community members.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for reducing the number of packets in a vehicle-to-vehicle multi-hop broadcast communication. The method determines a position data comprising a position, a velocity and a direction of a receiving vehicle (1, 2, 3, 4), receives a position data comprising position, velocity and direction from sending vehicles (1, 2, 3, 4), and calculates a relative position between the receiving vehicle (1, 2, 3, 4) and the sending vehicle (1, 2, 3, 4). Next, a density of vehicles is calculated from the calculated relative positions. The position data of the receiving vehicle (1, 2, 3, 4) is periodically sent, and the time for periodically sending the position data of the receiving vehicle (1, 2, 3, 4) is set in accordance with the calculated density of vehicles.

Abstract: One objective of the present invention is to determine a location for a relay terminal in a radio network, without preparatory surveying a radio status, and to arrange the relay terminal at the location. Another objective is to provide a method for retrieving the arranged relay terminal. When a relay terminal is to be arranged, the relay terminal transmits a survey packet to examine the quality of communication with a communication terminal or other relay terminal. Wherer a location is appropriate, the relay terminal gives a notice. The arranged terminal relays communication. Further, when the relay terminal is to be retrieved, the relay terminal carried by a user transmits a retrieval packet to the arranged relay terminal, which notifies the user of its presence by light, sounds, or returning a packet. In this manner, a single relay terminal provides functions of arrangement, relay and retrieval.

Abstract: A method for graphically indicating the positions of nodes connected to an ad hoc network is described. The method permits graphic display of the positions of the configured nodes including at least a node having a position-information detection device such as a GPS receiving device and a node having no such device for detecting its own position information, the graphic display being accomplished based on position information obtained by the detection device and on routing information about the node with no position-information detection device.

Abstract: A communication relay system is connected to a line switched mobile communication system adapted to accommodate therein mobile terminals through radio channels and a packet switched mobile communication system adapted to accommodate therein the mobile terminals through radio channels. When a connection request has been made to a portable terminal, the communication relay system judges whether the portable terminal of interest is connected either to the line switched mobile communication system or to the packet switched mobile communication system.

Abstract: A method to provide data communication service, which enables each service provider to provide each user with both contents service and Internet connection service. The method provides an Internet service provider with an AT-GW 341 used to authenticate the user, hold a network address assigned to the user, and translate a network address, which is different from a network address held by the user, thereby establishing communication between the user computer and the Internet service provider. The configuration of the present invention thus enables the user to receive high quality contents service and Internet connection service provided from a communication enterprise concurrently.

Abstract: A communication relay system is connected to a line switched mobile communication system adapted to accommodate therein mobile terminals through radio channels and a packet switched mobile communication system adapted to accommodate therein the mobile terminals through radio channels. When a connection request has been made to a portable terminal, the communication relay system judges whether the portable terminal of interest is connected either to the line switched mobile communication system or to the packet switched mobile communication system.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for changing over from an active network interface (NIF) to its standby NIF. The network system configuration may include at least two server computers, each having active and standby NIFs, the active NIF connected to first communication equipment and the standby NIF connected to second communication equipment. Both the first communication equipment and the second communication equipment are connected to a router. When at least one server computer detects a fault occurring in the path between its active network interface and the router, the server computer changes the IP address assignment from its active NIF to its standby NIF. Then, the server computer transmits an ARP request from its standby NIF to the router in order to make the router change the MAC address registration mapped to the above IP address, retained in the ARP cache of the router, from the MAC address assigned to its active NIF to the MAC address assigned to its standby NIF.