WIRELESS COMMUNICATION CONTROLLING DEVICE, WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATION CONTROLLING METHOD

Abstract

A wireless communication controlling device for controlling a communication between a wireless terminal and a server via a base station, the wireless communication controlling device including: a receiver configured to receive a request of a service for the server, time data of the service, location data of the wireless terminal, quality data of the wireless communication channel, and service data of the service, and a processor configured to estimate a communication speed for the service in accordance with the time data and the location data, to determine a quality threshold and a speed threshold respectively, in accordance with the location data and the service data, and to determine whether to grant the request of the service for the server or not, in accordance with a comparison between the quality data and the quality threshold and a comparison between the estimated communication speed and the speed threshold.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-011651, filed on Jan. 25, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present embodiments discussed here are related to wireless communication controlling devices, wireless communication systems, and wireless communication controlling methods.

BACKGROUND

Recently, wireless communication terminal devices that are being referred to as smart phones are gaining popularity. In such wireless communication terminal devices, various application software programs may be installed to transmit and receive various kinds of data to and from a server through a communication network. The data may include, but are not limited to, audio data, image data, and video data. The traffic of wireless communication system is increasing as such wireless communication terminal devices gain popularity.

To cope with the increase in traffic of wireless communication system, telecommunication carriers propose various measures to increase the total communication capacity of wireless communication system, such as constructing more facilities for the wireless communication system. However, even if the various measures to increase the total communication capacity of wireless communication system were to be implemented, it would be very difficult to modify a location distribution of users carrying the wireless communication terminal devices. Thus, imbalances in frequency utilization efficiency across communication areas may not be resolved. Here, the imbalances in frequency utilization efficiency across communication areas corresponds to a state where imbalances in traffic across communication areas occur due to uneven presence of the wireless communication terminal devices that execute communications.

The following technology is well known as a technology that may be used to resolve the imbalances in frequency utilization efficiency across communication areas. In that technology, a vehicle communication device mounted in a car transmits vehicle's route information from a current location to a destination of the car to a communication network management device. The vehicle communication device receives a wireless resource status in each communication area including the vehicle's route from the communication network management device. The vehicle communication device looks up the received wireless resource status in each communication area, and determines the communication area through which the car is going to travel or a communication mode in the communication area where the car is traveling.

Furthermore, there is another well-known technology. In that technology, a mobile communication terminal device searches a route that allows the mobile communication terminal device to execute a requested data communication by considering statuses of communication paths along the route from a current location of the mobile communication terminal device to its destination, and produces a communication schedule. The mobile communication terminal device executes the communication when the mobile communication terminal device finds the state that matches a communication condition defined in the communication schedule produced.

Furthermore, there is still another well-known technology. In that technology, a portable phone obtains time information and location information. Furthermore, the portable phone measures a speed of data communication receivable at the current time based on a pilot signal transmitted from a base station. The portable phone makes a connection between the measured data communication speed and the foregoing time and location information, generates history information regarding communication level, and creates a database by storing the generated history information in time series order. The portable phone obtains the time information and the location information when a transition request to a data communication guide mode is received. The portable phone reads plural pieces of the history information that correspond to the obtained time information and the location information from the database. The portable phone generates a guide display screen image by superimposing the data communication speeds in areas indicated by the readout plural pieces of the history information on map data centered on the current location of the portable phone, and displays the guide display screen image generated.

For example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 2009-188883, 2008-236381, and 2003-249887 discuss technologies similar to the ones described above.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the invention, a wireless communication controlling device for controlling a communication between a wireless terminal and a server via a base station, the wireless communication controlling device includes: a receiver configured to receive a request of a service for the server, time data relating to a timing of the service, location data relating to a location of the wireless terminal, quality data relating to a quality of the wireless communication channel between the wireless terminal and the base station, and service data relating to a type of the service, and a processor configured to estimate a communication speed for the service in accordance with the time data and the location data, to determine a quality threshold and a speed threshold respectively, in accordance with the location data and the service data, and to determine whether to grant the request of the service for the server or not, in accordance with a comparison between the quality data and the quality threshold and a comparison between the estimated communication speed and the speed threshold.

The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a wireless communication system according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary hardware configuration diagram of a wireless communication terminal device according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary hardware configuration diagram of a wireless base station device according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary hardware configuration diagram of a server according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary functional configuration diagram of a wireless communication controlling device according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an illustrative diagram of an exemplary map information database;

FIG. 7 is an exemplary diagram of a wireless communication quality database;

FIG. 8 is an exemplary diagram of a connecting terminal number database;

FIG. 9 is an exemplary diagram of a setup connecting terminal number database;

FIG. 10 is an exemplary flow of a wireless communication control process according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 11 is an exemplary flow of a data communication determination process according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 12 is an exemplary functional configuration diagram of a wireless communication controlling device according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 13 is an exemplary flow of a wireless communication control process according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 14 is an exemplary flow of a data communication determination process according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 15 is an exemplary flow of a wireless communication control process according to a third embodiment;

FIG. 16 is an exemplary flow of a wireless communication control process according to a fourth embodiment;

FIG. 17 is an exemplary functional configuration diagram of a database management device according to a fifth embodiment;

FIG. 18 is an exemplary flow of a wireless communication control process according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 19 is an exemplary functional configuration diagram of a database management device according to a sixth embodiment; and

FIG. 20 is an exemplary flow of a wireless communication control process according to the sixth embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

As described above, there is the well-known technology that allows the wireless communication terminal device to move from the current communication area to the communication area in which a better wireless communication quality is predicted so that the wireless communication terminal device may successfully execute the communication therein.

However, in the foregoing technology, the wireless communication quality in the destination communication area is a mere prediction. The accuracy of the prediction on the wireless communication quality in the destination communication area may decrease as the prediction on the wireless communication quality is made for a more distant future. Thus, even when the wireless communication terminal device actually moves in the destination communication area where a better wireless communication quality is predicted, the wireless communication quality may not be as good as predicted for the destination communication area.

Furthermore, when the foregoing technology is employed to resolve the imbalance in frequency utilization efficiency across communication areas, users carrying the wireless communication terminal devices are forced to move from their respective current communication areas to the communication areas in which higher frequency utilization efficiencies and better wireless communication qualities are predicted. Accordingly, the foregoing technology may not be employed to resolve the imbalance in frequency utilization efficiency across communication areas unless the route from the current communication area to the communication area, in which a better wireless communication quality is expected, matches with the route along which the user intends to move.

Accordingly, it is desirable to resolve the imbalance in frequency utilization efficiency across communication areas as much as possible while allowing the wireless communication terminal devices to execute communications in the respective communication areas where the wireless communication terminal devices are currently located.

Hereinafter, embodiments are described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a wireless communication system 1 according to a first embodiment.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the wireless communication system 1 according to the first embodiment includes a wireless communication terminal device 2 (which may be referred to as a wireless terminal), a wireless base station device 3 (which may be referred to as a base station), a communication network 4, a server 5, and global positioning system (GPS) satellites 6.

The wireless communication terminal device 2 is a device that communicates with the server 5 through the wireless base station device 3 and the communication network 4.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary hardware configuration diagram of the wireless communication terminal device 2 according to the first embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the wireless communication terminal device 2 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 201, a GPS unit 202, a read only memory (ROM) 203, a random access memory (RAM) 204, an auxiliary storage device 205 such as, but not limited to, a hard disk drive (HDD), a communication interface 206, a real time clock (RTC) circuit 207, an input device 208, and a display device 209. These constituting elements 201-209 of the wireless communication terminal device 2 are interconnected to one another through a bus 210.

The CPU 201 controls the overall operation of the wireless communication terminal device 2. For example, the CPU 201 obtains time data from the RTC circuit 207 provided in the wireless communication terminal device 2. The CPU 201 computes a terminal location that indicates a current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2 by use of the time data obtained from the RTC circuit 207 and time data received from the GPS satellites 6 through the GPS unit 202. Further, the CPU 201 receives a control signal transmitted from the wireless base station device 3 through the communication interface 206, and measures the wireless communication quality at the current location for the wireless communication terminal device 2 by using the control signal received.

The ROM 203 stores programs such as a boot program, application programs, and the like. The RAM 204 is used as a work area of the CPU 201 during executions of various processes. The auxiliary storage device 205 stores process data during communication with the server 5 through the wireless base station device 3. The communication interface 206 is an interface that allows the wireless communication terminal device 2 to communicate wirelessly with the wireless base station device 3, and may be, for example, a digital signal processor (DSP). The input device 208 is a device that receives instructions from a user of the wireless communication terminal device 2, and may be, for example, a keyboard or a pointing device. The display device 209 is a device that displays results of processes executed by the CPU 201, and may be, for example, a liquid crystal display.

The wireless communication terminal device 2 includes a user equipment (UE) specified in the standard technical specification of third generation partnership project (3GPP). The wireless communication terminal device 2 may be, for example, a multi-functional portable phone that may be referred to as a smart phone, or a portable terminal device with a wireless communication capability that may be referred to as a tablet terminal. Note that although only one wireless communication terminal device 2 is illustrated in FIG. 1 the wireless communication system 1 may include a plurality of the wireless communication terminal devices 2.

The wireless base station device 3 is a device that is connected to the communication network 4, and that establishes, maintains, and releases wireless communication channels with the wireless communication terminal devices 2 located within the communication area this wireless base station device 3 covers.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary hardware configuration diagram of the wireless base station device 3 according to the first embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the wireless base station device 3 includes a CPU 301, a ROM 302, a RAM 303, an auxiliary storage device 304 such as, but not limited to, a HDD, and a communication interface 305. These constituting elements 301-305 of the wireless base station device 3 are interconnected to one another through a bus 306. Alternatively, the wireless base station device 3 may be provided with an input-and-output interface (not illustrated in the drawing) in addition to the foregoing constituting elements so as to allow this input-and-output interface to be connected with an input device such as a keyboard and the like and a display device such as a liquid crystal display or the like.

The CPU 301 controls the overall operation of the wireless base station device 3. The ROM 302 stores programs such as a boot program and the like. The RAM 303 is used as a work area of the CPU 301 during executions of various processes. The auxiliary storage device 304 stores data regarding the wireless communication terminal device 2 that is being processed by the wireless base station device 3. The communication interface 305 is an interface that allows the wireless base station device 3 to communicate wirelessly with the wireless communication terminal device 2. Furthermore, the communication interface 305 is an interface for transmitting and receiving data between the wireless base station device 3 and the server 5 through the communication network 4.

The wireless base station device 3 receives data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2, and transmits the received data to the server 5 through the communication network 4. The wireless base station device 3 further receives data transmitted from the server 5 through the communication network 4, and transmits the received data to the wireless communication terminal device 2.

The wireless base station device 3 may be, for example, an evolved node B (eNodeB) specified in the technical standard specification of 3GPP. Note that although only one wireless base station device 3 is illustrated in FIG. 1 the wireless communication system 1 may include a plurality of the wireless base station devices 3.

The communication network 4 is a communication network such as an Internet protocol (IP) network or the like.

The server 5 includes a content server, stores a variety of contents such as audio data, text data, image data, video data, etc., and transmits the contents stored therein to the wireless communication terminal device 2. Note that although only one server 5 is illustrated in FIG. 1 the wireless communication system 1 may include a plurality of the servers 5.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary hardware configuration diagram of the server 5 according to the first embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the server 5 includes a CPU 501, a ROM 502, a RAM 503, an auxiliary storage device 504 such as, but not limited to, a HDD, and a communication interface 505. These constituting elements 501-505 of the server 5 are interconnected to one another through a bus 506. Alternatively, the server 5 may be provided with an input-and-output interface (not illustrated in the drawing) in addition to the foregoing constituting elements so as to allow this input-and-output interface to be connected with an input device such as a keyboard and the like and a display device such as a liquid crystal display or the like.

The CPU 501 controls the overall operation of the server 5. The ROM 502 stores programs such as a boot program and the like. The RAM 503 is used as a work area of the CPU 501 during executions of various processes. The auxiliary storage device 504 stores data regarding the wireless communication terminal device 2 that is in communication with the server 5 through the wireless base station device 3. The communication interface 505 is connected to the communication network 4 and, through this communication network 4, the wireless base station device 3.

In the first embodiment, the server 5 includes a wireless communication controlling device 7 (which may be referred to as a wireless communication controller). The wireless communication controlling device 7 is a device that executes a communication control between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 in accordance with a wireless communication control process flow, which will be described below.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary functional configuration diagram of the wireless communication controlling device 7 according to the first embodiment.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the wireless communication controlling device 7 includes a controlling unit 710, a storage unit 720, and a communication unit 730. In the first embodiment, the controlling unit 710 may correspond to, for example, the CPU 501, the RAM 503, and the ROM 502. The storage unit 720 may correspond to, for example, the auxiliary storage device 504. The communication unit 730 may correspond to, for example, the communication interface 505.

The storage unit 720 stores a map information database 721, a wireless communication quality database 722, a connecting terminal number database 723, and a setup connecting terminal number database 724.

The map information database 721 is a database including map information divided according to the communication areas that are covered with the wireless base station devices 3 included in the wireless communication system 1. FIG. 6 is an illustrative diagram of an exemplary map information database. In the example illustrated in FIG. 6, the map information included in the map information database 721 is divided into regions, from region “a” to region “p”, for management. The divided regions may respectively correspond to, for example, the communication areas of the wireless base station devices 3 included in the wireless communication system 1. In the example illustrated in FIG. 6, the map information is divided so as to form a grid. Alternatively, the map information may be divided into shapes corresponding to the communication areas covered by the respective wireless base station devices 3.

The wireless communication quality database 722 is a database for managing wireless communication quality data in the respective communication areas covered by the wireless base station devices 3 included in the wireless communication system 1. The wireless communication terminal device 2 measures the wireless communication quality of the control signal transmitted from the wireless base station device 3 at a predetermined time interval at the current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2. The wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits the measured wireless communication quality data to the wireless communication controlling device 7 together with terminal location data that is indicative of the current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2. The controlling unit 710 of the wireless communication controlling device 7 stores received wireless communication quality data in the wireless communication quality database 722 together with received terminal location data. FIG. 7 is an exemplary diagram of the wireless communication quality database 722. In FIG. 7, the value of “signal to interference plus noise power ratio” (SINR) is stored together with the terminal location data that is the latitude data and longitude data, as an example of wireless communication quality data.

Alternatively, a configuration different from the example illustrated in FIG. 7 may be employed. The wireless communication quality database 722 may store the value of “received signal strength indication” (RSSI), “reference signal received power” (RSRP), or “reference signal received quality” (RSRQ), as the wireless communication quality data.

Furthermore, the wireless communication quality database 722 stores wireless communication quality thresholds that are set for the respective communication areas in response to a communication service. Categorical examples of the communication service may include mail receiving, web browsing, video playback, and the like. The wireless communication quality threshold is a minimum value of the wireless communication quality desirable in a wireless communication channel between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the wireless base station device 3 for the wireless communication terminal device 2 to receive the communication service from the server 5 through the wireless base station device 3. In the case where the wireless communication quality database 722 stores the SINR values as the wireless communication quality data as in the example illustrated in FIG. 7, the wireless communication quality thresholds stored in the wireless communication quality database 722 are minimum SINR thresholds that are desirable to execute communications for the communication service in the respective communication areas.

The controlling unit 710 looks up the wireless communication quality database 722 for the terminal location data, and collects wireless communication quality values in the wireless communication quality database 722 for each of the communication areas (regions) of the map information database 721. The controlling unit 710 computes the wireless communication quality threshold for each communication area in response to the communication service by use of the wireless communication quality values collected. For example, the controlling unit 710 may produce a cumulative probability distribution of the wireless communication quality value for each communication area by using the wireless communication quality values collected for that communication area. The controlling unit 710 then may compute the wireless communication quality threshold for each communication area in response to the communication service by use of the cumulative probability distribution produced. For example, when the communication service is such that higher wireless communication quality is desirable, such as watching of a video, the wireless communication quality threshold may be set at a highest wireless communication quality value that corresponds to a highest cumulative probability value in the cumulative probability distribution. When the communication service is such that low wireless communication quality is acceptable, such as web browsing, the wireless communication quality threshold may be set at a lower wireless communication quality value by a predetermined ratio, compared with the foregoing wireless communication quality value for the communication service in which the higher wireless communication quality is desirable.

The foregoing computation process of the wireless communication quality threshold with the controlling unit 710 is performed at a predetermined time interval, and the wireless communication quality thresholds in the wireless communication quality database 722 are updated at a predetermined time interval.

The connecting terminal number database 723 is an example of a communication speed database, and is a database for managing data regarding the communication speed sampled at a predetermined time interval at each of the communication areas covered by the wireless base station devices 3 included in the wireless communication system 1.

FIG. 8 is an exemplary diagram of the connecting terminal number database 723. In FIG. 8, as an example of the data regarding the communication speed, data of the connecting terminal number are stored together with respective data of the time, the latitude, and the longitude. The connecting terminal number is the number of the wireless communication terminal devices 2 that are being connected to the wireless base station device 3 at a given time. The latitude and the longitude stored in the connecting terminal number database 723 indicate the installation location of the wireless base station device 3.

Alternatively, a configuration different from the example illustrated in FIG. 8 may be employed. The communication speed database may store throughput values of a wireless communication channel between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the wireless base station device 3, which are measured by the wireless communication terminal device 2, as the data regarding communication speed at each communication area sampled at a given time interval.

The setup connecting terminal number database 724 is an example of a communication speed threshold database, and is a database for managing data regarding minimum communication speed thresholds that are desirable for respective data types.

The setup connecting terminal number database 724 stores the maximum number of the wireless communication terminal devices 2 that are allowed to be connected to the wireless base station device 3, namely, the setup connecting terminal number for each data type (each service type). The setup connecting terminal number is an example of the communication speed threshold. FIG. 9 is an exemplary diagram of the setup connecting terminal number database 724. Categorical examples of the data type may include mail receiving, web browsing, video playback, and the like.

When communication capabilities of the wireless base station devices 3 included in the wireless communication system 1 are different from one another, the setup connecting terminal number database 724 may be produced for each of the wireless base station devices 3. When the communication speed database storing the throughput values measured with the wireless communication terminal devices 2 is employed, a setup communication speed database may be employed. This setup communication speed database stores minimum throughput values that are desirable for the respective data types, namely, throughput thresholds for the respective data types.

The communication unit 730 is an interface that allows the wireless communication controlling device 7 to communicate with another device included in the wireless communication system 1. In the first embodiment, the communication unit 730 receives the service type data, the terminal location data, the time data, and the wireless communication quality data from the wireless communication terminal device 2. The service type data is data describing the communication service that the wireless communication terminal device 2 requests the server 5 to provide.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the controlling unit 710 includes a location determination unit 711, a threshold determination unit 712, and a granting-communication determination unit 713.

The location determination unit 711 receives the terminal location data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730. The location determination unit 711 compares the received terminal location data with the latitude and longitude data of the regions that are being managed with the map information database 721, and determines in which communication area of the wireless base station device 3 the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located.

The threshold determination unit 712 receives the time data, the service type data, and the wireless communication quality data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730. Furthermore, the threshold determination unit 712 receives data on the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711.

The threshold determination unit 712 extracts from the wireless communication quality database 722 the wireless communication quality threshold that corresponds to the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711.

The threshold determination unit 712 computes an average communication speed value of the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711. This average communication speed value is a value at a time when a data communication request is received from the wireless communication terminal device 2. For example, the threshold determination unit 712 extracts from the connecting terminal number database 723 the connecting terminal number data corresponding to the communication area that matches the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711. Of the connecting terminal number data extracted, the threshold determination unit 712 further extracts the connecting terminal number data within a predetermined time period (one hour, for example) that is centered at the time indicated by the time data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2. The threshold determination unit 712 computes an average value of the connecting terminal number data thus extracted, namely, an average connecting terminal number.

The granting-communication determination unit 713 receives respective data of the extracted wireless communication quality threshold and the computed average communication speed value from the threshold determination unit 712. The granting-communication determination unit 713 further receives the wireless communication quality data and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730.

The granting-communication determination unit 713 extracts from the setup communication speed database the communication speed threshold that corresponds to the communication service indicated by the service type data received. For example, the granting-communication determination unit 713 extracts from the setup connecting terminal number database 724 the setup connecting terminal number that corresponds to the communication service indicated by the service type data.

When communication capabilities of the wireless base station devices 3 are different from one another and the setup connecting terminal number database 724 is produced for each of the wireless base station devices 3, the granting-communication determination unit 713 receives data of the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711. Furthermore, the granting-communication determination unit 713 extracts the setup connecting terminal number corresponding to the communication service indicated by the service type data from the setup connecting terminal number database 724 that corresponds to the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711.

The granting-communication determination unit 713 determines whether or not the wireless communication quality value in the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located is equal to or higher than the wireless communication quality threshold extracted by the threshold determination unit 712 at the time when the wireless communication terminal device 2 requests the data communication. Furthermore, the wireless communication controlling device 7 determines whether or not the average communication speed value in the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located is equal to or higher than the extracted communication speed threshold at the time when the wireless communication terminal device 2 requests the data communication. Furthermore, based on determination results, the granting-communication determination unit 713 determines whether or not to start a communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 through the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located.

A specific example of a wireless communication control process flow is now described. In the wireless communication system 1 according to the first embodiment, this process flow allows the wireless communication terminal device 2 to receive a variety of data such as, but not limited to, audio data, text data, image data, and video data from the server 5.

FIG. 10 is an example of the wireless communication control process flow according to the first embodiment.

The wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits the terminal location data, the time data, the wireless communication quality data, and the service type data to the wireless communication controlling device 7 when the wireless communication terminal device 2 requests a communication service for the server 5 (step S101). In the first embodiment, the wireless communication controlling device 7 is included in the server 5. Thus, the wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits these data to the server 5 via the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located.

The time data is the time at which the wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits the communication service request to the server 5. The terminal location data may be, for example, latitude and longitude data indicative of the current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2. The wireless communication quality is communication quality of the wireless communication channel between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located. The wireless communication quality may be, for example, the SINR value. The service types may include, for example, web browsing, video downloading, mail receiving, and subscription data receiving.

The transmission of these data performed at step S101 is repeated at a predetermined time interval until the communication starts between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5.

The communication unit 730 receives the terminal location data, the time data, the wireless communication quality data, and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S102).

The location determination unit 711 receives the terminal location data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730. The location determination unit 711 determines the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located from the received terminal location data (step S103). More specifically, the location determination unit 711 looks up the map information database 721, and compares the location indicated by the received terminal location data with the regions of the map information database 721. The location determination unit 711 determines the region including the location indicated by the terminal location data as the communication area that covers the current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2. The location determination unit 711 transmits data on the determined communication area to the threshold determination unit 712.

The threshold determination unit 712 receives the data on the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711. Furthermore, the threshold determination unit 712 receives the time data, the wireless communication quality data, and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730.

The threshold determination unit 712 looks up the wireless communication quality database 722, and determines the wireless communication quality threshold that corresponds to the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711 (step S104).

The threshold determination unit 712 looks up the connecting terminal number database 723, and determines the average connecting terminal number that corresponds to the time indicated by the time data received from the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711 (step S105).

The threshold determination unit 712 transmits respective data on the determined wireless communication quality threshold and the determined average connecting terminal number to the granting-communication determination unit 713.

The granting-communication determination unit 713 receives from the threshold determination unit 712 the respective data on the determined wireless communication quality threshold and the determined average connecting terminal number. Furthermore, the granting-communication determination unit 713 receives the wireless communication quality data and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730.

The granting-communication determination unit 713 determines whether or not to grant a permission to start a communication for the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 by using the received wireless communication quality threshold and the received average connecting terminal number (step S106). An example of the data communication determination process at step S106 is described with reference to FIG. 11.

FIG. 11 is an exemplary flow of the data communication determination process according to the first embodiment.

The granting-communication determination unit 713 determines whether or not the wireless communication quality value, which is indicated by the wireless communication quality data received from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730, is equal to or higher than the wireless communication quality threshold determined by the threshold determination unit 712. For example, the granting-communication determination unit 713 may determine whether or not the SINR value indicated by the wireless communication quality data is equal to or higher than the SINR threshold value determined by the threshold determination unit 712 (step S201).

When the wireless communication quality value indicated by the wireless communication quality data is determined to be equal to or higher than the wireless communication quality threshold determined by the threshold determination unit 712 (“Yes” at step S201), the granting-communication determination unit 713 ends the data communication determination process at step S106. Subsequently, the granting-communication determination unit 713 advances the wireless communication control process to step S107.

On the other hand, when the wireless communication quality value indicated by the wireless communication quality data is determined to be less than the wireless communication quality threshold determined by the threshold determination unit 712 (“No” at step S201), the granting-communication determination unit 713 performs a process of step S202.

At step S202, the granting-communication determination unit 713 extracts from the setup connecting terminal number database 724 the setup connecting terminal number that corresponds to the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2. Next, the granting-communication determination unit 713 determines whether or not the average connecting terminal number determined by the threshold determination unit 712 is equal to or less than the setup connecting terminal number extracted. The determination process at step S202 is an example of a process to determine whether or not the average communication speed value is equal to or higher than the communication speed threshold.

When the average connecting terminal number is determined to be equal to or less than the setup connecting terminal number (“Yes” at step S202), the granting-communication determination unit 713 ends the data communication determination process at step S106, and advances the wireless communication control process to step S107.

On the other hand, when the average connecting terminal number is determined to be higher than the setup connecting terminal number (“No” at step S202), the granting-communication determination unit 713 performs a process of step S203.

At step S203, the granting-communication determination unit 713 determines whether or not the communication service indicated by the service type data received from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730 is an instantaneous communication service.

The communication services indicated by the service type data may be generally divided into a first communication service in which an immediate start of communication is desirable and a second communication service in which an immediate start of communication is not necessarily desirable.

Examples of the first communication service may include communication services that allow a user to download and watch a video program from the server 5 or to browse a website provided by the server 5 with the wireless communication terminal device 2. In the first communication service, by using the input device 208, the user of the wireless communication terminal device 2 runs an application software program stored in the auxiliary storage device 205, and request a data transmission from the server 5 through the running application software program. As described above, the user requests the data transmission in the first communication service. Thus, in the first communication service, it is desirable to start the communication immediately between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 through the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located.

Examples of the second communication service may include communication services that allow a user to receive a mail or subscription data transmitted from the server 5 with the wireless communication terminal device 2. In the second communication service, the server 5 may transmit the data to the wireless communication terminal device 2 at predetermined timing determined by the server 5. In other words, in the second communication service, the user may not recognize specific timing at which the data is transmitted from the server 5. Accordingly, the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 may be postponed until a communication environment (wireless communication quality or communication speed) is ready for communication in the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located.

When the communication service indicated by the service type data is determined to be a non-instantaneous second communication service (“No” at step S203), the granting-communication determination unit 713 brings the wireless communication control process back to the process of step S102.

On the other hand, when the communication service indicated by the service type data is determined to be an instantaneous first communication service (“Yes” at step S203), the granting-communication determination unit 713 performs a process of step S204.

At step S204, the granting-communication determination unit 713 transmits a communication start confirmation request to the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730 to request a confirmation as to whether or not to start the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5. In other words, the granting-communication determination unit 713 asks the wireless communication terminal device 2 whether or not the communication with the server 5 is to be started immediately even if the wireless communication quality and the communication speed desirable to perform the requested communication service are not obtained at the current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2.

The display device 209 of the wireless communication terminal device 2 that received the communication start confirmation request displays a confirmation screen to determine whether or not to start the communication immediately even if the wireless communication quality and the communication speed desirable to perform requested the communication service are not obtained at the current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2. The user of the wireless communication terminal device 2 checks the confirmation screen displayed, and instructs the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the input device 208 as to whether or not to start the communication immediately. The CPU 201 transmits data including the instruction content of user to the communication unit 730 through the communication interface 206.

The communication unit 730 receives the data including the instruction content as to whether or not to start the communication immediately from the wireless communication terminal device 2, and transmits the received data to the granting-communication determination unit 713.

When the instruction content included in the data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 is the instruction to start the communication immediately (“Yes” at step S204), the granting-communication determination unit 713 ends the data communication determination process at step S106, and advances the wireless communication control process to step S107.

On the other hand, when the instruction content included in the data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 is the instruction not to start the communication immediately, namely, the instruction to postpone the start of the communication (“No” at step S204), the granting-communication determination unit 713 brings the data communication determination process back to step S102.

When the data communication determination process returns to step S102, the communication unit 730 re-receives the terminal location data, the time data, the wireless communication quality data, and the service type data, which are newly transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S102). The location determination unit 711 re-determines the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located based on the newly transmitted terminal location data from the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S103). For example, when a user carrying the wireless communication terminal device 2 moves and the current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2 is changed, it is possible that a new communication area, which is different from the one previously determined, may be determined as the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located. The threshold determination unit 712 re-selects the wireless communication quality threshold based on this re-determined communication area and the newly transmitted service type data from the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S104). The threshold determination unit 712 re-selects the average connecting terminal number based on this re-determined communication area and the newly transmitted time data from the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S105). The granting-communication determination unit 713 performs the data communication determination process again based on the re-selected wireless communication quality threshold and the average connecting terminal number (step S106).

The foregoing loop process from step S102 to step S106 is repeated until the postponed communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 is started.

On the other hand, when the wireless communication control process proceeds to step S107, the granting-communication determination unit 713 transmits notifications to the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located to inform granting of a permission to start the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5. Subsequently, the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 is executed through the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located.

As described in the above, according to the first embodiment, when the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the sever 5 is categorized such that the immediate start thereof is not necessarily desired, the communication is postponed until the communication environment (wireless communication quality or communication speed) is improved in the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located. Furthermore, even in the case where the communication is categorized such that the immediate start thereof is desired, the communication is postponed until the communication environment is improved in the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located when a postponement is instructed by the user of the wireless communication terminal device 2.

On the other hand, according to the first embodiment, when the communication environment is satisfactory in the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located, the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 is immediately started at the current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2. Furthermore, even when the communication environment is not satisfactory in the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located, the communication is immediately started in response to an instruction from the user of the wireless communication terminal device 2 when that communication is categorized such that the immediate start thereof is desired.

Accordingly, the first embodiment allows to resolve the imbalance in frequency utilization efficiency across the communication areas as much as possible while allowing the wireless communication terminal devices to execute communications in the communication areas in which the wireless communication terminal devices are currently located.

Second Embodiment

As described above, in the first embodiment, the wireless communication controlling device 7 determines whether or not the wireless communication quality value in the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located is equal to or higher than the wireless communication quality threshold at the time when the wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits a data communication request to the server 5. Furthermore, the wireless communication controlling device 7 determines whether or not the average communication speed value in the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located is equal to or higher than the communication speed threshold at the time when the wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits the data communication request to the server 5. Still furthermore, the wireless communication controlling device 7 determines, based on determination results, whether or not to start a communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 through the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located.

On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the wireless communication controlling device determines whether or not the wireless communication quality value in the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located is equal to or higher than the wireless communication quality threshold at the time when the wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits a data communication request to the server 5. Furthermore, the wireless communication controlling device obtains a current communication speed value in the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located from the wireless base station device 3. The wireless communication controlling device determines whether or not the obtained current communication speed value is equal to or higher than the communication speed threshold at the time when the wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits a data communication request to the server 5. Still furthermore, the wireless communication controlling device determines, based on determination results, whether or not to start a communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 through the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located.

FIG. 12 is an exemplary functional configuration diagram of the wireless communication controlling device according to the second embodiment. A wireless communication controlling device 8 illustrated in FIG. 12 is a device that executes a communication control between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 according to a wireless communication control process flow, which will be described below. Of constituting elements of the wireless communication controlling device 8 illustrated in FIG. 12, constituting elements similar to the ones of the wireless communication controlling device 7 illustrated in FIG. 5 are denoted with the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 5.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, the wireless communication controlling device 8 includes a controlling unit 810, a storage unit 820, and a communication unit 730.

The controlling unit 810 includes a location determination unit 711, a threshold determination unit 812, and a granting-communication determination unit 813.

The threshold determination unit 812 extracts from a wireless communication quality database 722 wireless communication quality threshold data that corresponds to a communication service indicated by service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711. The threshold determination unit 812 is different from the threshold determination unit 712 in that the threshold determination unit 812 obtains an average communication speed value at a time when a data communication request is received from the wireless communication terminal device 2, and does not compute the average communication speed value in the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711.

The granting-communication determination unit 813 extracts from a communication speed threshold database a communication speed threshold that corresponds to the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2. For example, the granting-communication determination unit 813 extracts from a setup connecting terminal number database 724 a setup connecting terminal number that corresponds to the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2.

Furthermore, the granting-communication determination unit 813 obtains a current communication speed value from the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located. For example, the granting-communication determination unit 813 obtains the number of the wireless communication terminal devices 2 that are currently in connection, namely, the current connecting terminal number, from the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located.

The granting-communication determination unit 813 determines whether or not to grant a permission to start a communication for the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 by use of the extracted communication speed threshold and the obtained current communication speed value.

The storage unit 820 stores a map information database 721, the wireless communication quality database 722, and the setup connecting terminal number database 724. Unlike the storage unit 720, the storage unit 820 does not include the connecting terminal number database 723. As described above, the setup connecting terminal number database 724 is an example of the communication speed threshold database.

In the second embodiment, the wireless communication controlling device 8 is included in the server 5. The controlling unit 810 may correspond to, for example, the CPU 501, the RAM 503, and the ROM 502. The storage unit 820 may correspond to, for example, the auxiliary storage device 504. The communication unit 730 may correspond to, for example, the communication interface 505.

A specific example of the wireless communication control process flow is now described. In a wireless communication system 1 according to the second embodiment, this process flow allows the wireless communication terminal device 2 to receive a variety of data such as, but not limited to, audio data, text data, image data, and video data from the server 5.

FIG. 13 is an exemplary flow of the wireless communication control process according to the second embodiment.

The wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits terminal location data, time data, wireless communication quality data, and service type data to the wireless communication controlling device 8 when the wireless communication terminal device 2 requests a communication service for the server 5 (step S301). In the second embodiment, the wireless communication controlling device 8 is included in the server 5. Thus, the wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits these data to the server 5 via the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located. The transmission of these data performed at step S301 is repeated at a predetermined time interval until the communication starts between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5.

The communication unit 730 receives the terminal location data, the time data, the wireless communication quality data, and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S302).

The location determination unit 711 receives the terminal location data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730. The location determination unit 711 looks up the map information database 721, and compares a location indicated by the received terminal location data with regions of the map information database 721. The location determination unit 711 determines the region including the location indicated by the terminal location data as the communication area that covers the current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S303). The location determination unit 711 transmits data on the determined communication area to the threshold determination unit 812.

The threshold determination unit 812 receives the data on the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711. Furthermore, the threshold determination unit 812 receives the time data, the wireless communication quality data, and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730.

The threshold determination unit 812 looks up the wireless communication quality database 722, and determines a wireless communication quality threshold that corresponds to the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711 (step S304). The threshold determination unit 812 transmits data on the determined wireless communication quality threshold to the granting-communication determination unit 813.

The granting-communication determination unit 813 transmits an inquiry about the number of the wireless communication terminal devices 2 that are currently in connection, namely, a current connecting terminal number to the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located (step S305).

The wireless base station device 3 receives the inquiry about the current connecting terminal number from the wireless communication controlling device 8 (step S306), and computes the current connecting terminal number (step S307). The computation of the current connecting terminal number is performed with a controlling unit of the wireless base station device 3 by counting the number of the wireless communication terminal devices 2 that are being connected in a communication process database (not illustrated in the figure) stored in a storage unit of the wireless base station device 3. The controlling unit of the wireless base station device 3 may correspond to, for example, the CPU 301, the ROM 302, and the RAM 303. The storage unit of the wireless base station device 3 may correspond to, for example, the auxiliary storage device 304.

The wireless base station device 3 transmits data on the calculated current connecting terminal number to the wireless communication controlling device 8 (step S308).

The granting-communication determination unit 813 receives the data on the current connecting terminal number transmitted from the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located through the communication unit 730 (step S309). Furthermore, the granting-communication determination unit 813 receives the wireless communication quality data and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730. The granting-communication determination unit 813 receives the determined wireless communication quality threshold data from the threshold determination unit 812.

The granting-communication determination unit 813 determines whether or not to grant a permission to start a communication for the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 by use of the received wireless communication quality threshold and the received current connecting terminal number (step S310). An example of the data communication determination process at step S310 is described with reference to FIG. 14.

FIG. 14 is an exemplary flow of the data communication determination process according to the second embodiment.

The granting-communication determination unit 813 determines whether or not a wireless communication quality value indicated by the wireless communication quality data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 is equal to or higher than the wireless communication quality threshold determined by the threshold determination unit 812. For example, the granting-communication determination unit 813 may determine whether or not a SINR value indicated by the wireless communication quality data is equal to or higher than a SINR threshold value determined by the threshold determination unit 812 (step S401).

When the wireless communication quality value indicated by the wireless communication quality data is determined to be equal to or higher than the wireless communication quality threshold determined by the threshold determination unit 812 (“Yes” at step S401), the granting-communication determination unit 813 ends the data communication determination process at step S310. Next, the granting-communication determination unit 813 advances the wireless communication control process to step S311.

On the other hand, when the wireless communication quality value indicated by the wireless communication quality data is determined to be less than the wireless communication quality threshold determined by the threshold determination unit 812 (“No” at step S401), the granting-communication determination unit 813 performs a process of step S402.

At step S402, the granting-communication determination unit 813 extracts from the setup connecting terminal number database 724 a setup connecting terminal number that corresponds to the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2. Furthermore, the granting-communication determination unit 813 determines whether or not the current connecting terminal number, which is received from the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located, is equal to or less than the extracted setup connecting terminal number. The determination process at step S402 is an example of a process to determine whether or not the current communication speed value is equal to or higher than the communication speed threshold.

When the current connecting terminal number is determined to be equal to or less than the setup connecting terminal number (“Yes” at step S402), the granting-communication determination unit 813 ends the data communication determination process at step S310, and advances the wireless communication control process to step S311.

On the other hand, when the current connecting terminal number is determined to be higher than the setup connecting terminal number (“No” at step S402), the granting-communication determination unit 813 performs a process of step S403.

At step S403, the granting-communication determination unit 813 determines whether or not the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 is an instantaneous communication service. An instantaneous communication service may be, for example, the foregoing first communication service, and a non-instantaneous communication service may be, for example, the foregoing second communication service.

When the communication service indicated by the service type data is determined to be a non-instantaneous second communication service (“No” at step S403), the granting-communication determination unit 813 brings the wireless communication control process back to the process of step S302.

On the other hand, when the communication service indicated by the service type data is determined to be an instantaneous first communication service (“Yes” at step S403), the granting-communication determination unit 813 performs a process of step S404.

At step S404, the granting-communication determination unit 813 transmits a communication start confirmation request to the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730 to request a confirmation as to whether or not to start the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5. In other words, the granting-communication determination unit 813 asks the wireless communication terminal device 2 whether or not to start the communication with the server 5 immediately even when the wireless communication quality and the communication speed desirable to perform the requested communication service are not obtained at the current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2. The wireless communication terminal device 2, which receives the communication start confirmation request from the granting-communication determination unit 813, transmits data including an instruction content regarding as to whether or not to start the communication immediately to the wireless communication controlling device 8.

The communication unit 730 receives from the wireless communication terminal device 2 the data including an instruction content as to whether or not to start the communication immediately, and transmits the received data to the granting-communication determination unit 813.

When the instruction content included in the data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 is an instruction to start the communication immediately (“Yes” at step S404), the granting-communication determination unit 813 ends the data communication determination process at step S310, and advances the wireless communication control process to step S311.

On the other hand, when the instruction content included in the data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 is an instruction not to start the communication immediately, namely, an instruction to postpone the start of the communication (“No” at step S404), the granting-communication determination unit 813 brings the data communication determination process back to step S302.

When the data communication determination process returns to step S302, the communication unit 730 re-receives the terminal location data, the time data, the wireless communication quality data, and the service type data, which are newly transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S302). The location determination unit 711 re-determines the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located based on the newly transmitted terminal location data from the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S303). The threshold determination unit 812 re-determines the wireless communication quality threshold based on this re-determined communication area and the newly-transmitted service type data from the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S304). The granting-communication determination unit 813 re-transmits the inquiry about the current connecting terminal number to the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located (step S305). The wireless base station device 3, which receives the re-sent inquiry, computes the current connecting terminal number again (step S306), and transmits data on the computed current connecting terminal number to the wireless communication controlling device 8 (step S307). The granting-communication determination unit 813 performs the data communication determination process again based on the re-determined wireless communication quality threshold and the re-received current connecting terminal number (step S310).

The foregoing loop process from step S302 to step S310 is repeated until the postponed communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 is started.

On the other hand, when the wireless communication control process proceeds to step S311, the granting-communication determination unit 813 transmits notifications to the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located to inform granting of a permission to start the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5. Subsequently, the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 is started through the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located.

As described in the above, according to the second embodiment, when the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the sever 5 is categorized as the one which the immediate start is not necessarily desired, the communication is postponed until the communication environment (wireless communication quality or communication speed) is ready for communication in the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located. Furthermore, even in the case where the communication is categorized as the one which the immediate start is desired, the communication is postponed until the communication environment is improved in the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located when a postponement is instructed by a user of the wireless communication terminal device 2.

On the other hand, according to the second embodiment, when the communication environment is satisfactory in the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located, the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 is started immediately at the current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2. Furthermore, even when the communication environment is not satisfactory in the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located, the communication is started immediately in response to an instruction from a user of the wireless communication terminal device 2 when that communication is categorized as the one which the immediate start thereof is desired.

Accordingly, the second embodiment allows to resolve the imbalance in frequency utilization efficiency across the communication areas as much as possible while allowing the wireless communication terminal devices to execute communications in the communication areas in which the wireless communication terminal devices are currently located.

Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the data communication determination process uses the current communication speed value obtained from the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located. Accordingly, the second embodiment allows to perform the determination as to whether or not to start the data communication requested by the wireless communication terminal device more accurately compared with the first embodiment.

Third Embodiment

In the first embodiment, the wireless communication controlling device 7 is included in the server 5.

On the other hand, in the third embodiment, the wireless communication controlling device 7 is included in the wireless base station device 3, instead of the server 5.

In the third embodiment, constituting elements of the wireless communication controlling device 7 included in the wireless base station device 3 may be the same as those illustrated in FIG. 5. The controlling unit 710 may correspond to, for example, the CPU 301, the RAM 303, and the ROM 302. The storage unit 720 may correspond to, for example, the auxiliary storage device 304. The communication unit 730 may correspond to, for example, the communication interface 305.

FIG. 15 is an exemplary flow of the wireless communication control process according to the third embodiment.

The wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits terminal location data, time data, wireless communication quality data, and service type data to the wireless communication controlling device 7 when the wireless communication terminal device 2 requests a communication service for the server 5 (step S501). In the third embodiment, the wireless communication controlling device 7 is included in the wireless base station device 3. Thus, the wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits these data to the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located. The transmission of these data performed at step S501 is repeated at a predetermined time interval until the communication starts between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5.

The communication unit 730 receives the terminal location data, the time data, the wireless communication quality data, and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S502).

The location determination unit 711 receives the terminal location data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730. The location determination unit 711 looks up the map information database 721, and compares the location indicated by the received terminal location data with the regions of the map information database 721. The location determination unit 711 determines the region including the location indicated by the terminal location data as the communication area that covers the current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S503). The location determination unit 711 transmits data on the determined communication area to the threshold determination unit 712.

The threshold determination unit 712 receives the data on the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711. The threshold determination unit 712 further receives the time data, the wireless communication quality data, and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730.

The threshold determination unit 712 looks up the wireless communication quality database 722, and determines the wireless communication quality threshold that corresponds to the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711 (step S504).

The threshold determination unit 712 looks up the connecting terminal number database 723, and determines the average connecting terminal number that corresponds to the time indicated by the time data received from the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711 (step S505).

The threshold determination unit 712 transmits respective data on the determined wireless communication quality threshold and the determined average connecting terminal number to the granting-communication determination unit 713.

The granting-communication determination unit 713 receives the respective data on the determined wireless communication quality threshold and the determined average connecting terminal number from the threshold determination unit 712. The granting-communication determination unit 713 further receives the wireless communication quality data and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730.

The granting-communication determination unit 713 determines whether or not to grant a permission to start a communication for the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 by use of the received wireless communication quality threshold and the received average connecting terminal number (step S506).

The data communication determination process at step S506 may be similar to the foregoing process described with reference to FIG. 11. When the start of communication is postponed as a result of the data communication determination process at step S506, the wireless communication control process returns to step S502. When the start of communication is allowed as a result of the data communication determination process at step S506, the wireless communication control process proceeds to step S507.

When the wireless communication control process proceeds to step S507, the granting-communication determination unit 713 transmits notifications to the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 to inform granting of a permission to start the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5. Subsequently, the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 is started through the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located.

According to the third embodiment, advantageous effects similar to those in the foregoing first embodiment may be obtained by including the wireless communication controlling device 7 in the wireless base station device 3.

Fourth Embodiment

In the second embodiment, the wireless communication controlling device 8 is included in the server 5.

On the other hand, in the fourth embodiment, the wireless communication controlling device 8 is included in the wireless base station device 3, instead of the server 5.

In the fourth embodiment, constituting elements of the wireless communication controlling device 8 included in the wireless base station device 3 may be the same as those illustrated in FIG. 12. The controlling unit 810 may correspond to, for example, the CPU 301, the RAM 303, and the ROM 302. The storage unit 820 may correspond to, for example, the auxiliary storage device 304. The communication unit 730 may correspond to, for example, the communication interface 305.

FIG. 16 is an exemplary flow of the wireless communication control process according to the fourth embodiment.

The wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits terminal location data, time data, wireless communication quality data, and service type data to the wireless communication controlling device 8 when the wireless communication terminal device 2 requests a communication service for the server 5 (step S601). In the fourth embodiment, the wireless communication controlling device 8 is included in the wireless base station device 3. Thus, the wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits these data to the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located. The transmission of these data performed at step S601 is repeated at a predetermined time interval until the communication starts between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5.

The communication unit 730 receives the terminal location data, the time data, the wireless communication quality data, and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S602).

The location determination unit 711 receives the terminal location data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730. The location determination unit 711 looks up the map information database 721, and compares the location indicated by the received terminal location data with the regions of the map information database 721. The location determination unit 711 determines the region including the location indicated by the terminal location data as the communication area that covers the current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S603). The location determination unit 711 transmits data on the determined communication area to the threshold determination unit 812.

The threshold determination unit 812 receives the data on the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711. The threshold determination unit 812 further receives the time data, the wireless communication quality data, and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730.

The threshold determination unit 812 looks up the wireless communication quality database 722, and determines the wireless communication quality threshold that corresponds to the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711 (step S604). The threshold determination unit 812 transmits data on the determined wireless communication quality threshold to the granting-communication determination unit 813.

The controlling unit 810 computes the number of the wireless communication terminal devices 2 that are currently in process, namely, the current connecting terminal number (step S605). The computation of the current connecting terminal number is performed with a computation process unit (not illustrated in the figure) in the controlling unit 810 by counting the number of the wireless communication terminal devices 2 that are being connected in a communication process database (not illustrated in the figure) stored in the storage unit 820. The computation process unit in the controlling unit 810 transmits data on the computed current connecting terminal number to the granting-communication determination unit 813.

The granting-communication determination unit 813 receives the wireless communication quality data and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730. The granting-communication determination unit 813 receives the connecting terminal number data transmitted from the computation process unit. The granting-communication determination unit 813 receives the determined wireless communication quality threshold from the threshold determination unit 812.

The granting-communication determination unit 813 determines whether or not to grant a permission to start a communication for the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 by use of the received wireless communication quality threshold and the received connecting terminal number (step S606).

The data communication determination process at step S606 may be similar to the foregoing data communication determination process at step S310 described with reference to FIG. 14. When the start of communication is postponed as a result of the data communication determination process at step S606, the wireless communication control process returns to step S602. When the start of communication is allowed as a result of the data communication determination process at step S606, the wireless communication control process proceeds to step S607.

When the wireless communication control process proceeds to step S607, the granting-communication determination unit 813 transmits notifications to the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 to inform granting of a permission to start the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5. Subsequently, the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 is started through the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located.

According to the fourth embodiment, advantageous effects similar to those in the foregoing second embodiment may be obtained by including the wireless communication controlling device 8 in the wireless base station device 3.

Fifth Embodiment

In the first embodiment, the wireless communication controlling device 7 is included in the server 5. On the other hand, in the third embodiment, the wireless communication controlling device 7 is included in the wireless base station device 3.

However, in the fifth embodiment, the wireless communication controlling device 7 is included in the wireless communication terminal device 2, instead of the server 5 or the wireless base station device 3.

In the fifth embodiment, constituting elements of the wireless communication controlling device 7 included in the wireless communication terminal device 2 may be the same as those illustrated in FIG. 5. The controlling unit 710 may correspond to, for example, the CPU 201, the RAM 204, and the ROM 203. The storage unit 720 may correspond to, for example, the auxiliary storage device 205. The communication unit 730 may correspond to, for example, the communication interface 206.

However, various databases 721-724 included in the storage unit 720 of the wireless communication controlling device 7 are databases received from a database management device 9 which will be described below.

In the fifth embodiment, the server 5 includes the database management device 9. The database management device 9 is a device that extracts from a storage unit in the database management device 9 databases to be used by the wireless communication controlling device 7 to perform the wireless communication control process, and that transmits the extracted databases to the wireless communication controlling device 7.

FIG. 17 is an exemplary functional configuration diagram of the database management device 9 according to the fifth embodiment. Of constituting elements of the database management device 9 illustrated in FIG. 17, constituting elements similar to the ones of the wireless communication controlling device 7 illustrated in FIG. 5 are denoted with the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 5.

The database management device 9 includes a controlling unit 910, a storage unit 720, and a communication unit 730.

The controlling unit 910 includes a location determination unit 711 and a database acquisition unit 911. The controlling unit 910 may correspond to, for example, the CPU 501, the ROM 502, and the RAM 503. The storage unit 720 may correspond to, for example, the auxiliary storage device 504. The communication unit 730 may correspond to, for example, the communication interface 505.

The location determination unit 711 receives terminal location data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730. The location determination unit 711 compares the received terminal location data with latitude and longitude data of regions managed by the map information database 721, and determines in which communication area of the wireless base station device 3 the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located. The location determination unit 711 transmits data on the determined communication area to the database acquisition unit 911.

The database acquisition unit 911 receives time data and service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730. Furthermore, the database acquisition unit 911 receives the data on the determined communication area from the location determination unit 711. The database acquisition unit 911 extracts respective data that correspond to a communication service indicated by the received service type data, time indicated by the received time data, and the determined communication area from the corresponding databases 721-724. The database acquisition unit 911 transmits the extracted data to the wireless communication controlling device 7 through the communication unit 730 as data having formats of the corresponding databases 721-724.

FIG. 18 is an exemplary flow of the wireless communication control process according to the fifth embodiment.

The wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits terminal location data, time data, wireless communication quality data, and service type data to the database management device 9 when the wireless communication terminal device 2 requests a communication service for the server 5 (step S701). In the fifth embodiment, the database management device 9 is included in the server 5. Thus, the wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits these data to the server 5 through the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located. The transmission of these data performed at step S701 is repeated at a predetermined time interval until the communication starts between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5.

The communication unit 730 in the database management device 9 receives the terminal location data, the time data, the wireless communication quality data, and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S702).

The location determination unit 711 in the database management device 9 receives the terminal location data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730. The location determination unit 711 looks up the map information database 721, and compares the location indicated by the received terminal location data with the regions of the map information database 721. The location determination unit 711 determines the region including the location indicated by the terminal location data as the communication area that covers the current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2. The location determination unit 711 transmits data on the determined communication area to the database acquisition unit 911.

The database acquisition unit 911 receives the data on the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711. Furthermore, the database acquisition unit 911 receives the time data, the wireless communication quality data, and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730.

The database acquisition unit 911 acquires data on a predetermined range of regions that includes a region corresponding to the determined communication area and regions surrounding the determined communication area from the map information database 721.

The database acquisition unit 911 acquires from the wireless communication quality database 722 data on the wireless communication quality value that correspond to the acquired predetermined range of regions and a predetermined range of time including the time indicated by the time data. Furthermore, the database acquisition unit 911 acquires from the wireless communication quality database 722 data on the wireless communication quality threshold that corresponds to the acquired wireless communication quality value and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2.

The database acquisition unit 911 acquires from the connecting terminal number database 723 data on the average connecting terminal number that corresponds to the acquired predetermined range of regions and a predetermined range of time including the time indicated by the time data.

The database acquisition unit 911 acquires from the setup connecting terminal number database 724 data on the setup connecting terminal number that corresponds to the service type data.

The database acquisition unit 911 transmits the data respectively acquired from the databases 721-724 to the wireless communication controlling device 7 through the communication unit 730 as data having formats of the corresponding databases 721-724 (step S703).

The communication unit 730 of the wireless communication controlling device 7 receives these data transmitted from the database management device 9 (step S704). The data received with the communication unit 730 are stored in the storage unit 720 with the respective forms of the corresponding databases 721-724.

The location determination unit 711 looks up the map information database 721 stored in the storage unit 720, and compares the location indicated by the terminal location data with the regions of the map information database 721. The location determination unit 711 determines the region including the location indicated by the terminal location data as the communication area that covers the current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S705). The location determination unit 711 transmits data on the determined communication area to the threshold determination unit 712.

The threshold determination unit 712 looks up the wireless communication quality database 722 stored in the storage unit 720, and determines the wireless communication quality threshold that corresponds to the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711 (step S706).

The threshold determination unit 712 looks up the connecting terminal number database 723 stored in the storage unit 720, and determines the average connecting terminal number that corresponds to the time indicated by the time data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711 (step S707).

The threshold determination unit 712 transmits respective data on the determined wireless communication quality threshold and the determined average connecting terminal number to the granting-communication determination unit 713.

The granting-communication determination unit 713 receives from the threshold determination unit 712 the respective data on the determined wireless communication quality threshold and the determined average connecting terminal number. Furthermore, the granting-communication determination unit 713 receives the wireless communication quality data and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730.

The granting-communication determination unit 713 determines whether or not to grant a permission to start a communication for the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 by use of the received wireless communication quality threshold and the received average connecting terminal number (step S708).

The data communication determination process at step S708 may be similar to the foregoing data communication determination process at step S106 described with reference to FIG. 11. When the start of communication is postponed as a result of the data communication determination process at step S708, the wireless communication control process returns to step S701. When the start of communication is allowed as a result of the data communication determination process at step S708, the wireless communication control process proceeds to step S709.

When the wireless communication control process proceeds to step S709, the granting-communication determination unit 713 transmits notifications to the wireless base station device 3 and the server 5 through the communication unit 730 to inform granting of a permission to start the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5. Subsequently, the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 is started through the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located.

According to the fifth embodiment, advantageous effects similar to those in the foregoing first embodiment may be obtained by including the wireless communication controlling device 7 in the wireless communication terminal device 2.

Sixth Embodiment

In the second embodiment, the wireless communication controlling device 8 is included in the server 5. On the other hand, in the fourth embodiment, the wireless communication controlling device 8 is included in the wireless base station device 3.

However, in the sixth embodiment, the wireless communication controlling device 8 is included in the wireless communication terminal device 2, instead of the server 5 or the wireless base station device 3.

In the sixth embodiment, constituting elements of the wireless communication controlling device 8 included in the wireless communication terminal device 2 may be the same as those illustrated in FIG. 12. The controlling unit 810 may correspond to, for example, the CPU 201, the RAM 204, and the ROM 203. The storage unit 820 may correspond to, for example, the auxiliary storage device 205. The communication unit 730 may correspond to, for example, the communication interface 206.

However, various databases 721, 722, and 724 included in the storage unit 820 of the wireless communication controlling device 8 are databases received from a database management device 10 which will be described below.

In the sixth embodiment, the server 5 includes the database management device 10. The database management device 10 is a device that extracts from a storage unit in the database management device 10 databases to be used by the wireless communication controlling device 8 to perform the wireless communication control process, and that transmits the extracted databases to the wireless communication controlling device 8.

FIG. 19 is an exemplary functional configuration diagram of the database management device 10 according to the sixth embodiment. Of constituting elements of the database management device 10 illustrated in FIG. 19, constituting elements similar to the ones of the wireless communication controlling device 8 illustrated in FIG. 12 are denoted with the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 12.

The database management device 10 includes a controlling unit 1010, a storage unit 820, and a communication unit 730. The controlling unit 1010 may correspond to the CPU 501, the ROM 502, and the RAM 503. The storage unit 820 may correspond to the auxiliary storage device 504. The communication unit 730 may correspond to the communication interface 505.

The controlling unit 1010 includes a location determination unit 711 and a database acquisition unit 1011.

The location determination unit 711 receives terminal location data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730. The location determination unit 711 compares the received terminal location data with latitude and longitude data of regions managed by the map information database 721, and determines in which communication area of the wireless base station device 3 the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located. The location determination unit 711 transmits data on the determined communication area to the database acquisition unit 1011.

The data acquisition unit 1011 receives time data and service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730. Furthermore, the database acquisition unit 1011 receives the data on the determined communication area from the location determination unit 712. The database acquisition unit 1011 extracts respective data that correspond to a communication service indicated by the received service type data, time indicated by the received time data, and the determined communication area from the corresponding databases 721, 722, and 724. The data acquisition unit 1011 transmits the extracted data to the wireless communication controlling device 8 through the communication unit 730 as data having formats of the corresponding databases 721, 722, and 724.

FIG. 20 is an exemplary flow of the wireless communication control process according to the sixth embodiment.

The wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits terminal location data, time data, wireless communication quality data, and service type data to the database management device 10 when the wireless communication terminal device 2 requests a communication service for the server 5 (step S801). In the sixth embodiment, the database management device 10 is included in the server 5. Thus, the wireless communication terminal device 2 transmits these data to the server 5 through the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located. The transmission of these data performed at step S801 is repeated at a predetermined time interval until the communication starts between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5.

The communication unit 730 in the database management device 10 receives the terminal location data, the time data, the wireless communication quality data, and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S802).

The location determination unit 711 in the database management device 10 receives the terminal location data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730. The location determination unit 711 looks up the map information database 721, and compares the location indicated by the received terminal location data with the regions of the map information database 721. The location determination unit 711 determines the region including the location indicated by the terminal location data as the communication area that covers the current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2. The location determination unit 711 transmits data on the determined communication area to the database acquisition unit 1011.

The database acquisition unit 1011 receives the data on the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711. Furthermore, the database acquisition unit 1011 receives the time data, the wireless communication quality data, and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730.

The database acquisition unit 1011 acquires data on a predetermined range of regions that includes a region corresponding to the determined communication area and regions surrounding the determined communication area from the map information database 721.

The database acquisition unit 1011 acquires from the wireless communication quality database 722 data on the wireless communication quality value that corresponds to the acquired predetermined range of regions and a predetermined range of time including the time indicated by the time data. Furthermore, the database acquisition unit 1011 acquires from the wireless communication quality database 722 data on the wireless communication quality threshold that corresponds to the acquired wireless communication quality value data and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2.

The database acquisition unit 1011 acquires data on the setup connecting terminal number that corresponds to the service type data from the setup connecting terminal number database 724.

The database acquisition unit 1011 transmits the data respectively acquired from the databases 721, 722, and 724 to the wireless communication controlling device 8 through the communication unit 730 as data having formats of the corresponding databases 721, 721, and 724 (step S803).

The communication unit 730 of the wireless communication controlling device 8 receives these data transmitted from the database management device 10 (step S804). The data received with the communication unit 730 are stored in the storage unit 820 with the formats of the corresponding databases 721, 722, and 724.

The location determination unit 711 looks up the map information database 721 stored in the storage unit 820, and compares the location indicated by the terminal location data with the regions of the map information database 721. The location determination unit 711 determines the region including the location indicated by the terminal location data as the communication area that covers the current location of the wireless communication terminal device 2 (step S805). The location determination unit 711 transmits data on the determined communication area to the threshold determination unit 812.

The threshold determination unit 812 looks up the wireless communication quality database 722 stored in the storage unit 820, and determines the wireless communication quality threshold that corresponds to the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the communication area determined by the location determination unit 711 (step S806). The threshold determination unit 812 transmits data on the determined wireless communication quality threshold to the granting-communication determination unit 813.

The granting-communication determination unit 813 transmits an inquiry about the current connecting terminal number to the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located (step S807).

The wireless base station device 3 receives the inquiry about the current connecting terminal number (step S808), and computes the current connecting terminal number (step S809). The wireless base station device 3 transmits data on the computed current connecting terminal number to the wireless communication controlling device 8 (step S810).

The granting-communication determination unit 813 receives the data on the current connecting terminal number transmitted from the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located through the communication unit 730 (step S811). Furthermore, the granting-communication determination unit 813 receives the wireless communication quality data and the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 through the communication unit 730. The granting-communication determination unit 813 receives the data on the determined wireless communication quality threshold from the threshold determination unit 812.

The granting-communication determination unit 813 determines whether or not to grant a permission to start a communication for the communication service indicated by the service type data transmitted from the wireless communication terminal device 2 by use of the received wireless communication quality threshold and the received connecting terminal number received (step S812).

The data communication determination process at step S812 may be similar to the foregoing data communication determination process at step S310 described with reference to FIG. 14. When the start of communication is postponed as a result of the data communication determination process at step S812, the wireless communication control process returns to step S801. When the start of communication is allowed as a result of the data communication determination process at step S812, the wireless communication control process proceeds to step S813.

When the wireless communication control process proceeds to step S813, the granting-communication determination unit 813 transmits notifications to the wireless base station device 3 and the server 5 through the communication unit 730 to inform granting of a permission to start the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5. Subsequently, the communication between the wireless communication terminal device 2 and the server 5 is started through the wireless base station device 3 that covers the communication area in which the wireless communication terminal device 2 is currently located.

According to the sixth embodiment, advantageous effects similar to those in the foregoing second embodiment may be obtained by including the wireless communication controlling device 8 in the wireless communication terminal device 2.

Seventh Embodiment

The foregoing first to sixth embodiments may be combined or modified as desired.

For example, the constituting elements of the wireless communication controlling device 7 or 8 may be distributed to the wireless communication terminal device 2, the wireless base station device 3, and the server 5 so as to be mounted therein.

In this application, for example, “connected to” is able to be replaced with “coupled to”. Moreover, for example, when an element is referred to as being “connected to” or “coupled to” another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. So do “connecting to”, “coupling to”, “connection to”, “coupling to” and so on.

All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority and inferiority of the invention. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A wireless communication controlling device for controlling a communication between a wireless terminal and a server via a base station, the wireless communication controlling device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a request of a service for the server, time data relating to a timing of the service, location data relating to a location of the wireless terminal, quality data relating to a quality of the wireless communication channel between the wireless terminal and the base station, and service data relating to a type of the service; and

a processor configured

to estimate a communication speed for the service in accordance with the time data and the location data,

to determine a quality threshold and a speed threshold respectively, in accordance with the location data and the service data, and

to determine whether to grant the request of the service for the server or not, in accordance with a comparison between the quality data and the quality threshold and a comparison between the estimated communication speed and the speed threshold.

2. The wireless communication controlling device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine to grant the request, when the quality data is not less than the quality threshold or the estimated communication speed is not less than the speed threshold.

3. The wireless communication controlling device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the service data indicates that the service requires real-time property, when the quality data is less than the quality threshold and the estimated communication speed is less than the speed threshold.

4. The wireless communication controlling device according to claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to postpone the service, when the service data doesn't indicate that the service requires real-time property.

5. The wireless communication controlling device according to claim 3,

wherein the processor is configured to inquire of the wireless terminal whether the service starts, when the service data indicates that the service requires real-time property.

6. The wireless communication controlling device according to claim 1, wherein

the wireless communication controlling device is included in the server.

7. The wireless communication controlling device according to claim 1, wherein

the wireless communication controlling device is included in the base station.

8. The wireless communication controlling device according to claim 1, wherein

the wireless communication controlling device is included in the wireless terminal.

9. A wireless communication system comprising:

a wireless terminal;

a base station;

a server; and

a wireless communication controlling device configured to control a communication between the wireless terminal and the server via the base station, wherein the wireless communication controlling device including

a receiver configured to receive a request of a service for the server, time data relating to a timing of the service, location data relating to a location of the wireless terminal, quality data relating to a quality of the wireless communication channel between the wireless terminal and the base station, and service data relating to a type of the service and

a processor configured

to estimate a communication speed for the service in accordance with the time data and the location data,

to determine a quality threshold and a speed threshold respectively, in accordance with the location data and the service data, and

to determine whether to grant the request of the service for the server or not, in accordance with a comparison between the quality data and the quality threshold and a comparison between the estimated communication speed and the speed threshold.

10. A wireless communication controlling method for controlling a communication between a wireless terminal and a server via a base station, the wireless communication controlling method comprising:

receiving a request of a service for the server, time data relating to a timing of the service, location data relating to a location of the wireless terminal, quality data relating to a quality of the wireless communication channel between the wireless terminal and the base station, and service data relating to a type of the service;

estimating a communication speed for the service in accordance with the time data and the location data;

determining a quality threshold and a speed threshold respectively, in accordance with the location data and the service data; and

determining whether to grant the request of the service for the server or not, in accordance with a comparison between the quality data and the quality threshold and a comparison between the estimated communication speed and the speed threshold.