Ad hoc network, terminal apparatus, and ad hoc network configuration method used for the same

Abstract

To provide a portable terminal that can establish an ad hoc network by operating existing communication unit without requiring a burdensome operation of manually exchanging ad hoc setting information. The distribution determination section of a receiving portable terminal compares a message digest that is calculated by a telephone calling application from a received telephone number and one received by the short-distance wireless communication section. If the values of the message digests match, the distribution determination section informs the user that the calling portable terminal is capable of ad hoc communication such as on a liquid crystal display. When an operation assigned to start of ad hoc communication is performed on the receiving portable terminal, the distribution determination section sends ad hoc communication settings information to the short-distance wireless communication section to set the short-distance wireless communication section to ad hoc mode, and transmits the ad hoc communication setting information to the calling portable terminal utilizing communication unit of the telephone calling application.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an ad hoc network configuration method according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an ad hoc network according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sequence chart illustrating the operation of ad hoc communication setting between portable terminals according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sequence chart illustrating the operation of ad hoc communication setting between portable terminals according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a telephone number reception process on a portable terminal of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a message digest reception process on a portable terminal of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an ad hoc communication start process in the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows an example of wireless LAN settings stored in the ad hoc communication setting storage section of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 9A and 9B show examples of screen display on the output section of FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an ad hoc network according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a telephone number reception process on a portable terminal of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a message digest reception process on a portable terminal of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an ad hoc communication start process in the third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 shows an example of terminal identifiers stored in the terminal identifier storage section of FIG. 10;

FIG. 15 illustrates an example of screen display on the output section of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 16 illustrates an example of terminal identifiers stored in the terminal identifier storage section according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ad hoc network that is formed by a plurality of terminal apparatuses that include a wireless communication function to directly communicate with other terminals and communication means of performing communication over a communication network with the other terminals and is formed by means of the wireless communication function, wherein a first terminal apparatus comprises means of transmitting via the communication means of the first terminal apparatus a terminal identifier that is determined by the communication means of the first terminal apparatus to a second terminal apparatus, which is a communication party with which the first terminal apparatus wants to form a network, and means of transmitting information on the terminal identifier to the second terminal apparatus by way of the wireless communication function of the first terminal apparatus, andthe second terminal apparatus comprises means of receiving the terminal identifier with the communication means of the second terminal apparatus; means of performing radio scan with the wireless communication function of the second terminal apparatus; means of comparing the terminal identifier received by the communication means of the second terminal apparatus with the information on the terminal identifier received in the radio scan by the wireless communication function of the second terminal apparatus; and means of establishing the network using the wireless communication function when a match is detected in the comparison.

2. An ad hoc network that is formed by a plurality of terminal apparatuses that include a wireless communication function to directly communicate with other terminals and communication means of performing communication over a communication network with the other terminals and is formed by means of the wireless communication function, wherein a first terminal apparatus comprises means of transmitting via the communication means of the first terminal apparatus a terminal identifier that is determined by the communication means of the first terminal apparatus to a second terminal apparatus, which is a communication party with which the first terminal apparatus wants to form a network, and means of transmitting the digest of the terminal identifier to the second terminal apparatus by way of the wireless communication function of the first terminal apparatus, andthe second terminal apparatus comprises means of receiving the terminal identifier with the communication means of the second terminal apparatus; means of performing radio scan with the wireless communication function of the second terminal apparatus; means of calculating the digest of the terminal identifier received by the communication means of the second terminal apparatus; means of comparing the calculated digest of the terminal identifier with the digest of the terminal identifier received in the radio scan by the wireless communication function of the second terminal apparatus; and means of establishing the network using the wireless communication function when a match is detected in the comparison.

3. The ad hoc network according to claim 1, wherein the communication means performs at least either of communication based on cellular communication or communication over a fixed telephone network.

4. The ad hoc network according to claim 3, wherein the communication means includes at least either of a telephone calling application or an electronic mail application.

5. The ad hoc network according to claim 4, wherein the terminal identifier includes at least either of a telephone number or an electronic mail address.

6. The ad hoc network according to claim 1, wherein the information on the terminal identifier contains at least a message digest that is calculated from the terminal identifier by a predetermined algorithm.

7. The ad hoc network according to claim 1, wherein the second terminal apparatus transmits ad hoc communication settings to the first terminal apparatus by way of the communication means of the second terminal apparatus when establishing the network.

8. The ad hoc network according to claim 7, wherein the second terminal apparatus comprises storage means of storing a terminal identifier table that maintains a terminal identifier, andthe terminal identifier table is included in the ad hoc communication settings in order to control redistribution of setting information.

9. The ad hoc network according to claim 1, wherein the means of establishing the network transmits ad hoc communication settings to the first terminal apparatus by way of the communication means of the second terminal apparatus to permit participation of the first terminal apparatus in the network when ad hoc communication is already being performed with a terminal apparatus other than the first terminal apparatus.

10. The ad hoc network according to claim 1, wherein a transfer function provided by the communication means is utilized to transfer a request for participation of the first terminal apparatus in the network to an administrator's terminal apparatus.

11. The ad hoc network according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication function is a short-distance wireless communication function including at least wireless Local Area Network (LAN).

12. The ad hoc network according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second terminal apparatuses are either portable terminals including at least portable telephones and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) or fixed terminals including at least fixed telephones and Internet Protocol (IP) phones.

13. A terminal apparatus that includes a wireless communication function to directly communicate with other terminals and communication means of performing communication over a communication network with the other terminals and that can form an ad hoc network using the wireless communication function, comprising: means of transmitting via the communication means a terminal identifier that is determined by the communication means to a communication party with which the terminal apparatus wants to form a network; means of transmitting information on the terminal identifier to the communication party by way of the wireless communication function; means of performing radio scan with the wireless communication function when a terminal identifier of the communication party is received by the communication means; means of comparing the terminal identifier of the communication party received by the communication means with the information on the terminal identifier of the communication party received in the radio scan by the wireless communication function; and means of establishing the network using the wireless communication function when a match is detected in the comparison.

14. A terminal apparatus that includes a wireless communication function to directly communicate with other terminals and communication means of performing communication over a communication network with the other terminals and that can form an ad hoc network using the wireless communication function, comprising: means of transmitting via the communication means a terminal identifier that is determined by the communication means to a communication party with which the terminal apparatus wants to form a network; means of transmitting the digest of the terminal identifier to the communication party by way of the wireless communication function; means of performing radio scan with the wireless communication function when a terminal identifier of the communication party is received by the communication means; means of calculating the digest of the terminal identifier received by the communication means; means of comparing the calculated digest of the terminal identifier with the digest of the terminal identifier received in the radio scan by the wireless communication function; and means of establishing the network using the wireless communication function when a match is detected in the comparison.

15. The terminal apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the communication means performs at least either of communication based on cellular communication or communication over a fixed telephone network.

16. The terminal apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the communication means includes at least either of a telephone calling application or an electronic mail application.

17. The terminal apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the terminal identifier includes at least either of a telephone number or an electronic mail address.

18. The terminal apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the information on the terminal identifier contains at least a message digest that is calculated from the terminal identifier by a predetermined algorithm.

19. The terminal apparatus according to claim 13, wherein ad hoc communication settings are transmitted to the communication party by way of the communication means when the network is established.

20. The terminal apparatus according to claim 19, comprising storage means of storing a terminal identifier table that maintains a terminal identifier, whereinthe terminal identifier table is included in the ad hoc communication settings in order to control redistribution of setting information.

21. The terminal apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the means of establishing the network transmits ad hoc communication settings to the communication party by way of the communication means to permit participation of the communication party in the network when ad hoc communication is already being performed with a terminal apparatus other than the communication party.

22. The terminal apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a transfer function provided by the communication means is utilized to transfer a request for participation of the communication party in the network to an administrator's terminal apparatus.

23. The terminal apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the wireless communication function is a short-distance wireless communication function including at least wireless Local Area Network (LAN).

24. The terminal apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the terminal apparatus is either a portable terminal including at least a portable telephone and a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or a fixed terminal including at least a fixed telephone and an Internet Protocol (IP) phone.

25. A configuration method for an ad hoc network that is formed by a plurality of terminal apparatuses that include a wireless communication function to directly communicate with other terminals and communication means of performing communication over a communication network with the other terminals and is formed by means of the wireless communication function, wherein a first terminal apparatus executes a process of transmitting via the communication means of the first terminal apparatus a terminal identifier that is determined by the communication means of the first terminal apparatus to a second terminal apparatus, which is a communication party with which the first terminal apparatus wants to form a network, and a process of transmitting information on the terminal identifier to the second terminal apparatus by way of the wireless communication function of the first terminal apparatus, andthe second terminal apparatus executes a process of receiving the terminal identifier with the communication means of the second terminal apparatus; a process of performing radio scan with the wireless communication function of the second terminal apparatus; a process of comparing the terminal identifier received by the communication means of the second terminal apparatus with the information on the terminal identifier received in the radio scan by the wireless communication function of the second terminal apparatus; and a process of establishing the network using the wireless communication function when a match is detected in the comparison.

26. A configuration method for an ad hoc network that is formed by a plurality of terminal apparatuses that include a wireless communication function to directly communicate with other terminals and communication means of performing communication over a communication network with the other terminals and is formed by means of the wireless communication function, wherein a first terminal apparatus executes a process of transmitting via the communication means of the first terminal apparatus a terminal identifier that is determined by the communication means of the first terminal apparatus to a second terminal apparatus, which is a communication party with which the first terminal apparatus wants to form a network, and a process of transmitting the digest of the terminal identifier to the second terminal apparatus by way of the wireless communication function of the first terminal apparatus, andthe second terminal apparatus executes a process of receiving the terminal identifier with the communication means of the second terminal apparatus; a process of performing radio scan with the wireless communication function of the second terminal apparatus; a process of calculating the digest of the terminal identifier received by the communication means of the second terminal apparatus; a process of comparing the calculated digest of the terminal identifier with the digest of the terminal identifier received in the radio scan by the wireless communication function of the second terminal apparatus; and a process of establishing the network using the wireless communication function when a match is detected in the comparison.

27. The ad hoc network configuration method according to claim 25, wherein the communication means performs at least either of communication based on cellular communication or communication over a fixed telephone network.

28. The ad hoc network configuration method according to claim 27, wherein the communication means includes at least either of a telephone calling application or an electronic mail application.

29. The ad hoc network configuration method according to claim 28, wherein the terminal identifier includes at least either of a telephone number or an electronic mail address.

30. The ad hoc network configuration method according to claim 25, wherein the information on the terminal identifier contains at least a message digest that is calculated from the terminal identifier by a predetermined algorithm.

31. The ad hoc network configuration method according to claim 25, wherein the second terminal apparatus transmits ad hoc communication settings to the first terminal apparatus by way of the communication means of the second terminal apparatus when establishing the network.

32. The ad hoc network configuration method according to claim 31, wherein the second terminal apparatus comprises storage means of storing a terminal identifier table that maintains a terminal identifier, andthe terminal identifier table is included in the ad hoc communication settings in order to control redistribution of setting information.

33. The ad hoc network configuration method according to claim 25, wherein the means of establishing the network transmits ad hoc communication settings to the first terminal apparatus by way of the communication means of the second terminal apparatus to permit participation of the first terminal apparatus in the network when ad hoc communication is already being performed with a terminal apparatus other than the first terminal apparatus.

34. The ad hoc network configuration method according to claim 25, wherein a transfer function provided by the communication means is utilized to transfer a request for participation of the first terminal apparatus in the network to an administrator's terminal apparatus.

35. The ad hoc network configuration method according to claim 25, wherein the wireless communication function is a short-distance wireless communication function including at least wireless Local Area Network (LAN).

36. The ad hoc network configuration method according to claim 25, wherein the first and the second terminal apparatuses are either portable terminals including at least portable telephones and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) or fixed terminals including at least fixed phones and Internet Protocol (IP) phones.

37. A program for an ad hoc network configuration method for use in a terminal apparatus that includes a wireless communication function to directly communicate with other terminals and communication means of performing communication over a communication network with the other terminals and that can form an ad hoc network using the wireless communication function, causing a computer to execute a process of transmitting via the communication means a terminal identifier that is determined by the communication means to a communication party with which the terminal apparatus wants to form a network; a process of transmitting information on the terminal identifier to the communication party by way of the wireless communication function; a process of performing radio scan with the wireless communication function when a terminal identifier of the communication party is received by the communication means; a process of comparing the terminal identifier of the communication party received by the communication means with the information on the terminal identifier of the communication party received in the radio scan by the wireless communication function; and a process of establishing the network using the wireless communication function when a match is detected in the comparison.

38. A program for an ad hoc network configuration method for use in a terminal apparatus that includes a wireless communication function to directly communicate with other terminals and communication means of performing communication over a communication network with the other terminals and that can form an ad hoc network using the wireless communication function, causing a computer to execute a process of transmitting via the communication means a terminal identifier that is determined by the communication means to a communication party with which the terminal apparatus wants to form a network; a process of transmitting the digest of the terminal identifier to the communication party by way of the wireless communication function; a process of performing radio scan with the wireless communication function when a terminal identifier of the communication party is received by the communication means; a process of calculating the digest of the terminal identifier received by the communication means; a process of comparing the calculated digest of the terminal identifier with the digest of the terminal identifier received in the radio scan by the wireless communication function; and a process of establishing the network using the wireless communication function when a match is detected in the comparison.