EP2170002A2

Wireless communication system, management server, wireless terminal, and network selection method

Abstract

A wireless terminal that can connect to a plurality of networks makes a request for a connection to a management server. The management server holds network information about unchanging service characteristics of a plurality of networks constituting a wireless communication area. The management server selects networks satisfying a request condition of a wireless terminal that has requested a connection based on the network information and notifies the selected networks, as candidates for connection, to the wireless terminal. The wireless terminal measures changing service characteristics of the candidates for connection notified from the management server, selects a network from the candidates for connection based on a measurement result, and connects to the selected network.

EP2170002A2, drawing sheet 1
Sheet 1 of 8

Term

Projected expiry 23 September 2029.

  1. Priority
  2. Filed
  3. Published
  4. Today
  5. Projected expiry

23 claims: 6 independent, 17 dependent

  1. 1
    A wireless communication system comprising:a management server that holds network information about unchanging service characteristics of each of a plurality of networks constituting a communication area by wireless;anda wireless terminal that can connect to the plurality of networks, whereinthe management server selects networks satisfying a condition that is requested by a wireless terminal that has requested a connection based on the network information and notifies the selected networks as candidates for connection to the wireless terminal, andthe wireless terminal requests a connection to the management server, measures changing service characteristics of the candidates for connection notified from the management server, selects a network from the candidates for connection based on a measurement result, and connects to the selected network.
  2. 12
    A management server comprising:storage means for holding network information about unchanging service characteristics of each of a plurality of networks constituting a communication area by wireless;selecting means for selecting networks that satisfy a condition that is requested by a wireless terminal that has requested a connection based on the network information held by the storage means;andnotification means for notifying the networks selected by the selecting means, as candidates for connection, to the wireless terminal.
  3. 13
    A wireless terminal that can connect to a plurality of networks constituting a communication area by wireless, the wireless terminal comprising:requesting means for transmitting a connection request to a management server holding network information about unchanging service characteristics of the plurality of networks;measuring means for measuring changing service characteristics of candidates for connection selected by the management server based on the unchanging service characteristics of the network information in response to the connection request;andconnecting means for selecting a network from among the candidates for connection based on a measurement result by the measuring means and for connecting to the selected network.
  4. 18
    A network selection method of selecting a connection of a wireless terminal from among a plurality of networks constituting a communication area by wireless, the network selection method comprising:a management server holding, in advance, network information about unchanging service characteristics of the plurality of networks;the wireless terminal requesting a connection to the management server;the management server selecting networks satisfying a condition that is requested by the wireless terminal based on the network information and notifying the selected networks as candidates for connection to the wireless terminal;andthe wireless terminal measuring changing service characteristics of the notified candidates for connection and selecting a connection from among the candidates for connection based on a measurement result.
  5. 22
    The network selection method according claim 20 or 21, wherein in the wireless terminal,networks are selected and connected according to a plurality of types of data communications to concurrently perform the plurality of types of data communications, andcorresponding networks are used to perform the plurality of types of data communications.
  6. 23
    A management server program causing a computer to execute procedures of:holding network information about unchanging service characteristics of each of a plurality of networks constituting a communication area by wireless;selecting networks that satisfy a condition that is requested by a wireless terminal that has requested a connection based on the held network information;andnotifying the selected networks, as candidates for connection, to the wireless terminal.