Communication apparatus, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein communication program, communication system, and communication method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10080145-B2
Application number	US-201514600643-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2015
Priority date	Jan 20, 2014
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

An example of a communication system includes a wireless LAN access point, a master, and a client. The master connects to a wireless LAN access point present within a first communicable range via a wireless LAN. Further, the master communicates with the client present within a second communicable range, which is broader than the first communicable range. The client connects to the wireless LAN access point via the master even if the client is not directly connected to the wireless LAN access point.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile communication terminal having a wireless communication function, the communication terminal comprising:
a first communication module configured for wireless communication up to a first communicable range and to perform wireless communication over a 802.11 wireless LAN with a wireless LAN access point within the first communicable range, wherein the wireless LAN access point includes a 802.11 wireless LAN interface to the 802.11 wireless LAN and a wired interface to the Internet;
a second communication module configured for wireless communication up to a second communicable range corresponding to a greater communication distance than the first communication range and to perform wireless communication with a second communication terminal present within the second communicable range; and
a transmitter configured to transmit, using the first communication module, data which is transmitted from the second communication terminal and received by the second communication module, over the 802.11 wireless LAN to the wireless LAN access point, thereby communicating between the second communication terminal and the Internet via at least the wired interface of the wireless LAN access point.

2. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the second communication module communicates with the second communication terminal, using at least one of a method of using a plurality of antennas, a method of using a bandwidth narrower than a bandwidth in communication using the first communication module, and a method of using a radio wave having a frequency lower than a frequency in communication using the first communication module.

3. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein a protocol of communication between the communication terminal and the second communication terminal performed using the second communication module is substantially the same as a protocol of communication between the communication terminal and the access point performed using the first communication module.

4. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , further comprising a setter configured to make a setting of whether or not to permit the transmitter to communicate between the second communication terminal and the wireless LAN access point, wherein
if the setter has permitted the transmitter to communicate between the second communication terminal and the wireless LAN access point, the transmitter communicates between the second communication terminal and the wireless LAN access point.

5. The communication terminal according to claim 4 , wherein
the setter sets another communication terminal for which the transmitter is permitted to communicate between the other communication terminal and the wireless LAN access point, and
the transmitter communicates between the other communication terminal that has been set and the wireless LAN access point.

6. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein
the first communication module is able to transmit data generated by the communication terminal to the wireless LAN access point in addition to data from the second communication terminal.

7. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein
the communication terminal communicates, using the second communication module, with a third communication terminal,
wherein the third communication terminal communicates with the wireless LAN access point using a third communication module configured for wireless communication up to the first communicable range, and communicates with the communication terminal, using a forth communication module configured for wireless communication up to the second communicable range, and
wherein the second communication module transmits, via the third communication terminal, data to the wireless LAN access point communicably connected to the third communication terminal.

8. The communication terminal according to claim 7 , wherein if the communication terminal cannot communicate with the wireless LAN access point, using the first communication module of the communication terminal, the second communication module of the communication terminal automatically connects to the third communication terminal and communicates via the third communication terminal with a wireless LAN access point connected to the third communication terminal.

9. The communication terminal according to claim 7 , further comprising a setter configured to make a setting of whether or not to permit the transmitter to communicate between the second communication terminal and the wireless LAN access point, wherein
if the setter has permitted the transmitter to communicate between the second communication terminal and the wireless LAN access point, the transmitter communicates between the second communication terminal and the wireless LAN access point, and
if the setter has permitted the transmitter to communicate between the second communication terminal and the wireless LAN access point, the second communication module of the communication terminal communicates via the third communication terminal with a wireless LAN access point connected to the third communication terminal.

10. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the communication terminal and the second communication terminal are apparatuses of the same model.

11. The communication terminal according to claim 7 , wherein the communication terminal and the second communication terminal or the third communication terminal are apparatuses of the same model.

12. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the communication terminal is a handheld apparatus.

13. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the communication terminal is capable of executing a predetermined application.

14. A communication system including a first mobile communication terminal and a second communication terminal,
the first communication terminal comprising:
a first communication module configured for wireless communication up to a first communicable range and to perform wireless communication over a 802.11 wireless LAN with a wireless LAN access point present within the first communicable range, wherein the wireless LAN access point includes a 802.11 wireless LAN interface to the 802.11 wireless LAN and a wired interface to the Internet;
a second communication module configured for wireless communication up to a second communicable range corresponding to a greater communication distance than the first communication range and to perform wireless communication with the second communication terminal present within the second communicable range; and
a transmitter configured to transmit, using the first communication module, data which is transmitted from the second communication terminal and received by the second communication module, over the 802.11 wireless LAN to the wireless LAN access point, thereby communicating between the second communication terminal and the Internet via at least the wired interface of the wireless LAN access point,

the second communication terminal comprising
a third communication module configured for wireless communication up to the second communicable range and to perform wireless communication with the first communication terminal present within the second communicable range, wherein
the third communication module of the second communication terminal communicates with the wireless LAN access point via the first communication terminal.

15. The communication system according to claim 14 , wherein the second communication terminal communicates with the wireless LAN access point via th

Assignees

• Mae Kenichi
• Imura Yoshitaka
• Kondo Yoshihisa
• Shimomura Masaru
• Nintendo Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mae Kenichi
• Imura Yoshitaka
• Kondo Yoshihisa
• Shimomura Masaru

Classifications

• H04W16/26 Primary

  Cell enhancers {or enhancement}, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow · CPC title

• H04W84/12

  WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] · CPC title

• H04B7/15507

  Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, (network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04) · CPC title

• H04W40/22 Primary

  using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point · CPC title

• H04W88/06

  adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals · CPC title