JP2005191922A - Communication equipment, repeater, and communication method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform relay by the same frequency without switching the transmission and reception of signals with time in a multi-hop relay system of performing communication via a plurality of repeaters. <P>SOLUTION: A route decision part 2012 refers to routing information and retrieves a route from a present device to a final transmission destination. A routing information storage part 2014 stores the routing information and updates the stored routing information when updating information is acquired by a routing information acquisition part 2008. A relay control signal generation part 2018 defines a destination as the repeater, terminal equipment or an access point to be the opposite party to transmit information signals next in the route decided in the route decision part 2012 and generates relay control signals. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication device, a relay device, and a communication method, and in particular, for example, in a wireless LAN, a communication device and a relay device that perform long-distance communication by multistage relay (multihop relay) of a signal having a relatively short reach distance And a communication method.

  Conventionally, as a relay device used for wireless communication, for example, there is one disclosed in Patent Document 1. In Patent Literature 1, when a radio signal is relayed, the received signal is digitally stored, and the stored signal is reproduced and transmitted, so that the signal of the same frequency is relayed by transmission and reception to improve the frequency utilization efficiency. Is disclosed. In this method, only one radio frequency band is used, but since the stored signal is transmitted after the reception of a series of signals is completed, transmission and reception must be performed at different times. Waste will occur.

On the other hand, in broadcasting technology such as terrestrial digital television, for example, as described in Patent Document 2, when an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex) signal is relayed on a broadcast wave, the relay is performed. In some cases, a sneak canceller is disposed in the apparatus, and interference between the signals transmitted from the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna is eliminated, thereby transmitting and receiving signals almost simultaneously. By doing this, it is possible to reduce time waste in the relay device, and even when the amount of coupling between the transmitting and receiving antennas of the relay device cannot be made sufficiently small, it is possible to perform the same frequency relay with little deterioration in signal quality. it can.
JP 59-10043 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-152065

  However, in general, the broadcasting technology is based on the premise that the broadcasting station that is a signal transmission source is stationary, and that unidirectional communication is performed to a relatively wide range of receiving stations. Therefore, there is a problem that relay in broadcasting technology cannot be simply applied to wireless communication.

  That is, for example, in a wireless LAN, when relaying wireless communication between an access point connected to a wired network and a terminal device, communication between the access point and the terminal device is bidirectional communication, and the terminal device moves. Therefore, it is necessary for the relay device to relay bidirectional communication and take measures against the influence of interference by other terminal devices.

  Thus, as one measure for reducing the influence of interference, for example, in a wireless LAN, communication using weak radio waves is performed compared to broadcasting. That is, by shortening the reach distance of the signal used for communication, it is possible to prevent interference from a terminal device located at a distance from the distance, and to reduce the amount of interference as a whole.

  However, on the other hand, shortening the reach of the signal means that the range that can be directly communicated with the access point is narrowed, and the relay device that relays communication with the terminal device located away from the access point. Increasing importance. Moreover, not only a single-hop relay method in which an access point and a terminal device communicate via only one relay device, but also a multi-hop (multi-stage) relay method in which an access point and a terminal device communicate via a plurality of relay devices. Is considered essential.

  Nevertheless, in wireless communication, a technique for relaying signals at the same frequency without switching transmission / reception of signals in time has not been established.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and in a multi-hop relay system that communicates via a plurality of relay apparatuses, a communication apparatus that can perform relaying at the same frequency without temporally switching signal transmission and reception An object of the present invention is to provide a relay device and a communication method.

  The communication device according to the present invention is a communication device that transmits an information signal to another communication device in a wireless communication network having one or more relay devices and a plurality of communication devices, and can directly communicate with each relay device. Storage means for storing routing information indicating all relay devices and communication devices in association with each other, and determination means for determining a communication path of an information signal to the other communication device based on the stored routing information. Transmitting a relay control signal for securing the communication path, and transmitting the information signal when a signal indicating that the communication path is secured is received as a response to the relay control signal. Take the configuration.

  According to this configuration, the communication path of the information signal is determined based on the routing information, and the information signal is transmitted after the communication path is secured by the relay control signal. In a multi-hop relay system in which information signals can be transmitted without being affected by interference from signals from other communication devices, and communication is performed via a plurality of relay devices, transmission / reception of signals is temporally performed. Relaying can be performed at the same frequency without switching.

  The communication device according to the present invention employs a configuration in which, in the configuration, the determining unit determines a communication path that minimizes the number of relay devices through which an information signal passes to the other communication device.

  According to this configuration, in addition to the above-described effects, the communication path that minimizes the number of relay apparatuses through which the information signal passes is determined. Therefore, when the relay control signal is transmitted, the delay in the relay apparatus is minimized. Therefore, a reliable communication path and information signal communication can be performed.

  In the communication device according to the present invention, in the configuration described above, the storage unit includes routing quality including communication quality in all the propagation paths between all the relay devices and communication devices capable of direct communication and the associated relay devices. The information is stored, and the determination unit determines a communication path that maximizes the communication quality of the entire propagation path through which the information signal passes to the other communication apparatus.

  According to this configuration, in addition to the above-described effect, in order to determine a communication path that maximizes the communication quality of the entire propagation path through which the information signal passes, errors in the propagation path in the relay control signal and the information signal are prevented. As a result, the communication path can be ensured and information signals can be communicated.

  The communication device according to the present invention further includes an acquisition unit that acquires the update information of the routing information in the configuration, and the storage unit updates the stored routing information according to the update information.

  According to this configuration, in addition to the above-described effects, the routing information is updated according to the update information. Therefore, even when the positional relationship between the communication device and the relay device is changed, an appropriate information signal communication path is always determined. Can do.

  The communication apparatus according to the present invention employs a configuration in which, in the configuration, the transmission unit transmits a relay control signal including identification information of the own device and identification information of the other communication device that is a transmission destination of the information signal.

  According to this configuration, in addition to the above-described effect, the relay control signal includes identification information of the first transmission source and the final transmission destination of the information signal. All the relay apparatuses and communication apparatuses on the communication path can newly search the communication path, and can always determine the communication path of the appropriate information signal.

  The communication apparatus according to the present invention has a configuration in which, in the configuration described above, the transmission unit transmits a relay control signal including a desired relay start time desired to start relaying of the information signal and a desired relay duration desired to continue the relay. take.

  According to this configuration, in addition to the above-described effects, the relay control signal includes the desired relay start time and the desired relay duration, so the relay device and the communication device on the communication path are prepared for the transmission of the information signal. In addition, surrounding relay devices and communication devices that are not on the communication path can refrain from transmitting signals at this time, thereby improving the throughput of the entire wireless communication network.

  The communication apparatus according to the present invention employs a configuration in which, in the configuration, the transmission means includes spreading means for spreading the relay control signal with a spreading code unique to the destination of the relay control signal.

  According to this configuration, in addition to the above-described effect, the relay control signal is spread with a spreading code unique to the destination of the relay control signal. Only the relay control signal addressed to the own apparatus can be accurately acquired by performing despreading with the spreading code.

  The communication apparatus according to the present invention employs a configuration in which the spreading means spreads a plurality of relay control signals simultaneously in the configuration.

  According to this configuration, in addition to the above effects, a plurality of relay control signals are spread simultaneously, so that the time for waiting for transmission / reception of relay control signals can be reduced and the transmission efficiency of the entire system can be improved.

  In the communication device according to the present invention, in the configuration, the spreading unit spreads a transmission request relay control signal indicating that transmission of an information signal is desired using a first spreading code unique to a destination of the relay control signal, A configuration is adopted in which a transmission permission relay control signal for permitting transmission of an information signal is spread with a second spreading code common to all relay apparatuses and communication apparatuses in the wireless communication network.

  According to this configuration, in addition to the above-described effect, not only the first spreading code unique to the destination of the relay control signal but also the transmission-permitted relay control signal using the second spreading code common to all relay devices and communication devices. The transmission permission relay control signal that is spread using the second spreading code is transmitted including the relay time of the information signal, and the device that receives this transmission permission relay control signal transmits the signal at the relay time. By refraining from this, the throughput of the entire wireless communication network can be improved.

  The communication apparatus according to the present invention employs a configuration in which, in the configuration, the transmission unit transmits a relay control signal including unique identifier information for each destination of the relay control signal.

  According to this configuration, in addition to the above-described effect, the relay control signal including unique identifier information is transmitted for each destination of the relay control signal, so that the destination of the relay control signal is distinguished without spreading the relay control signal. The relay apparatus and the communication apparatus that receive the relay control signal can accurately receive only the relay control signal addressed to the own apparatus.

  The relay device of the present invention is a relay device that relays an information signal to another relay device or any one of the communication devices in a wireless communication network having one or a plurality of relay devices and a plurality of communication devices. Receiving means for receiving the first transmission request relay control signal transmitted to secure the communication path of the information signal from the previous transmission source, and at the desired relay time included in the received first transmission request relay control signal A determination means for determining whether or not the information signal can be relayed; and if the determination result indicates that the relay is possible, the second transmission request relay control signal for securing the communication path of the information signal is While transmitting to the transmission destination, if the relay is impossible, the transmission means for transmitting the transmission impossible relay control signal to the effect that the relay is impossible is possible to the previous transmission source, and as a result of the determination, the relay is possible If was, it employs a configuration having a relay means for relaying information signals to the desired relay time included in the first transmission request relay control signal.

  According to this configuration, it is determined whether or not relaying is possible at the desired relay time, and if possible, the second transmission request relay control signal is transmitted to the next transmission destination on the communication path. Since the relay control signal that cannot be transmitted is transmitted to the previous transmission source on the route, if all the relay devices can relay on the communication route, the communication route at the desired relay time is surely secured, If there is even one relay device that cannot be relayed, the first transmission source of the information signal is surely notified that relaying is impossible.

  The relay device according to the present invention is configured so that, in the configuration described above, identification information of an initial transmission source of an information signal included in the first transmission request relay control signal, and a final information signal included in the first transmission request relay control signal. A configuration further includes a determination unit that determines a communication path of the information signal based on the identification information of the transmission destination and the routing information stored in advance.

  According to this configuration, in addition to the above-described effect, the information signal is determined on the basis of the identification information of the first transmission source of the information signal, the identification information of the final transmission destination, and the routing information. It is possible to re-determine the communication path determined at the first transmission source, and when the routing information is updated, determine the communication path that reflects this update and always determine the appropriate information signal communication path. can do.

  The communication method of the present invention is a communication method for transmitting an information signal in a wireless communication network having one or a plurality of relay devices and a plurality of communication devices, and all the relay devices and communication capable of direct communication for each relay device. Determining a communication path of an information signal based on routing information associated with a device; transmitting a relay control signal for securing the determined communication path; and responding to the relay control signal as the communication The method includes a step of receiving a signal indicating that a route has been secured and a step of transmitting the information signal through the secured communication route.

  According to this method, the communication route of the information signal is determined based on the routing information, and the information signal is transmitted after the communication route is secured by the relay control signal. In a multi-hop relay system in which information signals can be transmitted without being affected by interference from signals from other communication devices, and communication is performed via a plurality of relay devices, transmission / reception of signals is temporally performed. Relaying can be performed at the same frequency without switching.

  The communication method of the present invention is a communication method for relaying an information signal in a wireless communication network having one or a plurality of relay devices and a plurality of communication devices, and a communication path of information signals from a previous transmission source on the communication path Receiving the first transmission request relay control signal transmitted to secure the information, and determining whether or not the information signal can be relayed at a desired relay time included in the received first transmission request relay control signal As a result of the step and determination, if the relay is possible, the second transmission request relay control signal for securing the communication path of the information signal is transmitted to the next transmission destination in this communication path, while the relay is impossible. If the relay control signal indicating that relaying is impossible is transmitted to the previous transmission source, and if the relay is possible as a result of the determination, the first transmission request relay control signal is transmitted. A step wherein the relay desired relay time information signal included in, and to have.

  According to this method, it is determined whether or not relaying is possible at the desired relay time, and if possible, the second transmission request relay control signal is transmitted to the next transmission destination on the communication path. Since the relay control signal that cannot be transmitted is transmitted to the previous transmission source on the route, if all the relay devices can relay on the communication route, the communication route at the desired relay time is surely secured, If there is even one relay device that cannot be relayed, the first transmission source of the information signal is surely notified that relaying is impossible.

  According to the present invention, in a multi-hop relay scheme in which communication is performed via a plurality of relay apparatuses, it is possible to perform relaying at the same frequency without temporally switching signal transmission / reception.

  The gist of the present invention is that the terminal device and the relay device share the same routing information, and prior to the communication of the information signal, the terminal device that is the signal transmission source determines the communication route based on the routing information, and the determined communication The route is secured by the relay control signal.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a wireless communication network according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The wireless communication network shown in FIG. 1 includes a relay device A100 to a relay device E140 and a terminal device a200 to a terminal device h270. The relay device E140 is connected to a wired network via an access point AP1, and the relay device D130 is It is connected to a wired network via an access point AP2. Further, the range that can be relayed by the relay device A100 is the cover area 105. Similarly, the relay device B110 is the cover area 115, the relay device C120 is the cover area 125, the relay device D130 is the cover area 135, and the relay device E140 is the cover. Area 145 is covered.

  In FIG. 1, since there is always at least one other relay device in the cover areas 105 to 145 from the relay device A100 to the relay device E140, the terminal device performs multi-hop relay via a plurality of relay devices. Thus, communication with the access point AP1 or the access point AP2 can be performed. That is, for example, the terminal device a200 that is far away from both the access point AP1 and the access point AP2 communicates with the access point AP1 via the relay device A100, the relay device B110, and the relay device E140, or relays. It is possible to communicate with the access point AP2 through the device A100, the relay device C120, and the relay device D130.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of relay apparatus A100 according to the first embodiment. Relay devices B110 to E140 have the same configuration as relay device A100. 2 includes a reception unit 1002, an information signal acquisition unit 1004, a relay control signal acquisition unit 1006, a routing information acquisition unit 1008, a switch 1010, a relay control unit 1012, a routing information storage unit 1014, an amplification unit 1016, A relay control signal generation unit 1018 and a transmission unit 1020 are included.

  The receiving unit 1002 receives a signal transmitted from a terminal device or a relay device in the cover area 105 of the own device via an antenna. Therefore, the receiving unit 1002 of the relay device A100 receives signals transmitted from the relay device B110, the relay device C120, the terminal device a200, the terminal device b210, and the terminal device c220. The receiving unit 1002 receives update information of routing information described later from a server (not shown) or the like.

  The information signal acquisition unit 1004 acquires an information signal that is a main body of data to be communicated among the reception signals received by the reception unit 1002. The relay device eventually relays this information signal between the terminal device, the access point, or another relay device.

  The relay control signal acquisition unit 1006 acquires a relay control signal for securing a route for relaying the information signal among the reception signals received by the reception unit 1002. Specifically, relay control signal acquisition section 1006 has an RTS (Request To Send) signal indicating that transmission of an information signal is desired, a CTS (Clear To Send) signal indicating that transmission of an information signal is permitted, and an information signal. A Nack signal indicating that transmission of the message is not permitted is acquired. These RTS signal, CTS signal, and Nack signal include the initial transmission source (terminal device or access point) of the information signal to be relayed, the final transmission destination (terminal device or access point), and desired relay start. Information on the time and desired relay duration is included.

  The routing information acquisition unit 1008 acquires update information of the routing information received by the reception unit 1002. Here, the routing information is information that summarizes other relay devices and terminal devices with which each relay device can communicate directly. As described above, for example, when the terminal device a200 is connected to a wired network, the route connected to the access point AP1 via the relay device A100, the relay device B110, and the relay device E140, the relay device A100, the relay device C120, and There are two routes that can be connected to the access point AP2 via the relay device D130. These routes can be searched by referring to the routing information.

  In addition, each terminal device moves between the cover areas 105 to 145, and in that case, it is necessary to update the routing information. For this reason, routing information update information is transmitted from a server (not shown), and the routing information acquisition unit 1008 of the relay device A100 acquires this update information. Note that the update information of the routing information is not transmitted from a server (not shown), but may be sequentially broadcast by each relay device or each terminal device.

  Further, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) may be mounted on the relay device, and the coordinates of the relay device may be shared by each relay device and each terminal device by adding to the routing information. Thereby, for example, in the event of an emergency such as a disaster, the position information can be grasped simultaneously with the video information and the audio information. Further, the terminal device outside the area can narrow the antenna directivity toward the relay device, and the terminal device outside the area can also participate in the wireless communication network of the present embodiment. Furthermore, it is also useful when performing time synchronization between devices.

  The switch 1010 is opened and closed under the control of the relay control unit 1012, and controls the output of the information signal acquired by the information signal acquisition unit 1004 to the amplification unit 1016.

  The relay control unit 1012 closes the switch 1010 during the time for relaying the information signal on the route secured by the relay control signal (between the desired relay start time and the desired relay continuation time). Further, when the relay control unit 1012 receives the RTS signal, the relay control unit 1012 determines whether or not the RTS signal transmission source (terminal device, relay device, or access point) can perform relaying at a desired time. The relay control signal to be generated is notified to the relay control signal generation unit 1018. Further, the relay control unit 1012 determines the destination of the relay control signal with reference to the routing information, and notifies the relay control signal generation unit 1018 of the destination.

  Specifically, when the relay control signal acquired by the relay control signal acquisition unit 1006 is an RTS signal, if the own apparatus can relay, the relay control signal to be generated is the RTS signal, and the relay control signal Is sent to the relay control signal generation unit 1018 as a relay device between the final transmission destination (terminal device or access point) of the information signal or the final transmission destination. On the other hand, if the own device cannot relay, the relay control signal to be generated is a Nack signal, and the destination of the relay control signal is the first transmission source (terminal device or access point) of the information signal or the first transmission source To the relay control signal generation unit 1018 as a relay device between. Note that the final transmission destination and initial transmission source of the information signal are included in all the RTS signals.

  In addition, when the relay control signal acquired by the relay control signal acquisition unit 1006 is a CTS signal, a route from the first transmission source to the final transmission destination of the information signal is secured. The relay control signal to be transmitted is a CTS signal, and the destination of the relay control signal is notified to the relay control signal generation unit 1018 as a relay device between the first transmission source of the information signal or the first transmission source.

  Furthermore, when the relay control signal acquired by the relay control signal acquisition unit 1006 is a Nack signal, the route from the first transmission source of the information signal to the final transmission destination has not been secured. The relay control signal to be generated is a Nack signal, and the destination of the relay control signal is notified to the relay control signal generation unit 1018 as a relay device between the first transmission source or the first transmission source of the information signal.

  The routing information storage unit 1014 stores the above-described routing information. When the update information is acquired by the routing information acquisition unit 1008, the stored routing information is updated.

  Here, all the terminal devices and relay devices in the network share the same routing information by obtaining update information by the method described above. Therefore, the search result of the communication route of the information signal obtained using the routing information stored in the routing information storage unit 1014 is equal to the search result in all other terminal devices and relay devices if the search is performed simultaneously. Become.

  The amplifying unit 1016 amplifies the information signal output when the switch 1010 is closed.

  The relay control signal generation unit 1018 generates a relay control signal according to the notification from the relay control unit 1012.

  The transmission unit 1020 transmits the information signal amplified by the amplification unit 1016 and the relay control signal generated by the relay control signal generation unit 1018 via the antenna. Further, when transmitting the relay control signal, the transmission unit 1020 first performs carrier sense, and waits for transmission of the relay control signal while signals are transmitted from other terminal devices or relay devices, Avoid collisions with other signals.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of terminal apparatus a200 according to Embodiment 1. The terminal device b210 to the terminal device h270 have the same configuration as the terminal device a200. 3 includes a reception unit 2002, an information signal acquisition unit 2004, a relay control signal acquisition unit 2006, a routing information acquisition unit 2008, an application unit 2010, a route determination unit 2012, a routing information storage unit 2014, and an information signal storage. Unit 2016, relay control signal generation unit 2018, and transmission unit 2020. In FIG. 3, the terminal device a200 has a reception antenna connected to the reception unit 2002 and a transmission antenna connected to the transmission unit 2020. However, a configuration in which one shared antenna is provided is also possible. good.

  The receiving unit 2002 receives a signal transmitted from another terminal device, the relay device A100 in the cover area 105 to which the own device belongs, or an access point (not shown) via an antenna. The receiving unit 2002 also receives routing information update information from a server (not shown).

  The information signal acquisition unit 2004 acquires an information signal from the reception signals received by the reception unit 2002.

  The relay control signal acquisition unit 2006 acquires a relay control signal from the reception signals received by the reception unit 2002. Specifically, the relay control signal acquisition unit 2006 acquires an RTS signal, a CTS signal, and a Nack signal.

  The routing information acquisition unit 2008 acquires the update information of the routing information received by the reception unit 2002.

  The application unit 2010 outputs the information signal to the information signal storage unit 2016 and sends a destination in order to perform predetermined processing using the received information signal or to transmit the information signal generated by the predetermined processing. Or notify the route determination unit 2012. Further, the application unit 2010 controls the relay control signal generation unit 2018 via the route determination unit 2012 according to whether the received relay control signal is an RTS signal, a CTS signal, or a Nack signal.

  Specifically, when the relay control signal acquired by the relay control signal acquisition unit 2006 is an RTS signal, it is determined whether or not the signal can be received at a desired transmission time included in the RTS signal, and the signal can be received. If so, the relay control signal generation unit 2018 is controlled so as to generate a CTS signal. If reception is impossible, the relay control signal generation unit 2018 is controlled so as to generate a Nack signal.

  Further, when the relay control signal acquired by the relay control signal acquisition unit 2006 is a CTS signal, a route from the own apparatus to the final transmission destination is secured, so when the desired relay start time is reached. A trigger signal serving as an information signal transmission start trigger is output from the relay control signal generation unit 2018 to the information signal storage unit 2016.

  Furthermore, when the relay control signal acquired by the relay control signal acquisition unit 2006 is a Nack signal, the route from the own device to the final transmission destination has not been secured. The relay control signal generation unit 2018 is controlled so as to generate the RTS signal.

  The route determination unit 2012 refers to the routing information and searches for a route from the own device to the final transmission destination. At this time, the route determination unit 2012 searches for a route having the smallest number of relay stages from the own device to the final transmission destination. That is, for example, in FIG. 1, in order to connect from the terminal device b210 to the wired network, the route connecting to the access point AP1 via the relay device B110 and the relay device E140, the relay device A100, the relay device C120, and the relay device D130. In this case, the route determination unit of the terminal device b210 may connect the access point via the former relay device B110 and the relay device E140 in order to minimize the number of relay stages. Select a route to connect to AP1. The determined route is notified to the relay control signal generation unit 2018, and the destination of the relay control signal is determined.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, since carrier sense is performed when the relay control signal is transmitted in the relay device, a delay in the relay device occurs. Therefore, the greater the number of relay stages, the greater the delay, and there is a possibility that the CTS signal or Nack signal may not be returned to the first transmission source of the information signal even when the desired relay start time is reached. Therefore, a quick and reliable route can be secured by reducing the number of relay stages as much as possible.

  The routing information storage unit 2014 stores routing information, and updates the stored routing information when update information is acquired by the routing information acquisition unit 2008.

  The information signal accumulation unit 2016 accumulates the information signal generated by the application unit 2010, and outputs the accumulated information signal to the transmission unit 2020 when a trigger signal is output from the relay control signal generation unit 2018.

  The relay control signal generation unit 2018 generates a relay control signal and a trigger signal according to the control of the application unit 2010. The relay control signal generation unit 2018 sets the destination of the relay control signal as the relay device, terminal device, or access point that is the next party to transmit the information signal on the route determined by the route determination unit 2012.

  The transmission unit 2020 transmits the information signal output from the information signal storage unit 2016 and the relay control signal generated by the relay control signal generation unit 2018 via the antenna. Further, when transmitting the relay control signal, the transmission unit 2020 first performs carrier sense, and waits for transmission of the relay control signal while signals are transmitted from other terminal devices or relay devices, Avoid collisions with other signals.

  Next, operations of the relay device A100 and the terminal device a200 configured as described above will be described with reference to the sequence diagram shown in FIG. The sequence diagram shown in the figure shows the operation when the relay device A100 relays the transmission of the information signal from the terminal device a200 to the terminal device b210. Here, the operation in the single-hop relay method in which only the relay device A100 performs relay will be described, but the operation of the terminal device and the relay device is the same in the multi-hop relay method in which a plurality of relay devices perform relay. The terminal device a200 and the terminal device b210 are assumed to be separated to the extent that direct communication is not possible.

  First, an information signal to be transmitted to the terminal device b210 is generated by the application unit 2010 of the terminal device a200. This information signal is output to the information signal storage unit 2016, and the route determination unit 2012 is notified that the destination is the terminal device b210. Here, the generated information signal has a format as shown in FIG. 5, for example. That is, the information signal includes transmission terminal identification information indicating the first transmission source (here, the terminal device a200), reception terminal identification information indicating the final transmission destination (here, the terminal device b210), and a data body. include.

  Since the transmission terminal identification information and the reception terminal identification information are included in the information signal in this way, even if an error occurs in securing the communication path by the relay control signal, the information signal is actually received by the terminal device. In this case, it is possible to determine whether or not the information signal is addressed to the own device before decoding the data body. If it is determined that the information signal is not addressed to the own device, the data body is not decrypted and consumed in the terminal device. Electric power can be reduced.

  Returning to the sequence diagram of FIG. 4, when the destination of the generated information signal is notified to the route determination unit 2012, the route determination unit 2012 refers to the routing information stored in the routing information storage unit 2014, The route to the destination of the information signal is searched. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the routing information associates relay devices and terminal devices that can directly communicate with each relay device.

  Referring to the routing information shown in FIG. 6, as a communication path from the terminal device a200 to the terminal device b210, a route of the terminal device a200-relay device A100-terminal device b210, and a terminal device a200-relay device A100-relay device B110. -It can be seen that there is a route called terminal device b210, but the route determination unit 2012 selects the route of the former terminal device a200-relay device A100-terminal device b210 in order to select the route with the smallest number of relay stages. It will be.

  Then, the determined path is notified to the relay control signal generation unit 2018, and the relay control signal generation unit 2018 generates the RTS signal 310. The RTS signal 310 includes identification information of the terminal device a200 that is the first transmission source of the information signal, identification information of the terminal device b210 that is the final transmission destination of the information signal, desired relay start time, and desired relay duration time. And the destination is the relay device A100 based on the determined route.

  The generated RTS signal 310 is output to the transmission unit 2020, and carrier sensing is performed by the transmission unit 2020. As a result of carrier sense, when it is determined that there is no collision with signals from other terminal apparatuses and relay apparatuses, the RTS signal 310 is transmitted to the relay apparatus A100.

  The RTS signal 310 transmitted to the relay device A100 is received by the receiving unit 1002 via the antenna and acquired by the relay control signal acquiring unit 1006. Then, the RTS signal 310 is output to the relay control unit 1012, and it is determined whether or not relaying is possible at this time by referring to the desired relay start time and the desired relay duration time. Specifically, if no other relay is scheduled to be performed between the desired relay start time and the desired relay continuation time, it is determined that the relay is possible, and another relay is scheduled to be performed at this time. If there is, it is determined that relaying is impossible.

  If the result of determination is that relaying is possible, the relay control signal to be transmitted to the next transmission destination of the information signal is determined as the RTS signal. On the other hand, when relaying is impossible, the relay control signal transmitted to the transmission source of the RTS signal 310 is determined as the Nack signal.

  Also, by referring to the routing information stored in the routing information storage unit 1014 by the relay control unit 1012, the information signal is transmitted from the first transmission source (terminal device a200) to the final transmission destination (terminal device b210). The route is searched again. This is a process for dealing with a case where the routing information is updated after the route is determined by the route determination unit 2012 of the terminal device a200.

  That is, for example, the routing information is changed due to the movement of the terminal device b210, for example, and the update information notifying this change to all the relay devices and terminal devices is received by the receiving unit 1002, via the routing information acquiring unit 1008. When the routing information stored in the routing information storage unit 1014 is updated, a new route is determined using the latest routing information. In order to reduce the processing time, the relay device may perform communication using the route determined by the first transmission source of the information signal without performing the route search again.

  The relay control signal and path to be transmitted determined as described above are notified to the relay control signal generation unit 1018, and the RTS signal 320 or the Nack signal 330 is generated by the relay control signal generation unit 1018. These RTS signal 320 and Nack signal 330 include identification information of the terminal device a200 that is the first transmission source of the information signal, identification information of the terminal device b210 that is the final transmission destination of the information signal, desired relay start time, And the destination of the RTS signal 320 is the terminal device b210 that is the next transmission destination of the information signal, and the destination of the Nack signal 330 is the terminal device a200 that is the transmission source of the RTS signal 310. It becomes.

  The generated RTS signal 320 or Nack signal 330 is output to the transmission unit 1020, and the transmission unit 1020 performs carrier sense. As a result of carrier sense, when it is determined that there is no collision with signals from the terminal device and other relay devices, the RTS signal 320 is transmitted to the terminal device b210 or the Nack signal 330 is transmitted to the terminal device a200. Sent. In FIG. 4, the operation when a Nack signal is transmitted, that is, when relaying is impossible is indicated by a broken line.

  When the Nack signal 330 is transmitted from the relay device A100, the Nack signal 330 is received by the reception unit 2002 of the terminal device a200 and cannot be relayed to the application unit 2010 via the relay control signal acquisition unit 2006. Will be notified. Therefore, the application unit 2010 controls the route determination unit 2012 and the relay control signal generation unit 2018 so that the RTS signal is transmitted again after a predetermined time has elapsed. Here, similarly to the above-described route re-search in the relay device A100, the route determination unit 2012 refers to the routing information stored in the routing information storage unit 2014 to re-search the route, and the relay control signal generation unit An RTS signal in which a desired relay start time (and a destination depending on a route re-search result) is changed by 2018 is generated. Thereafter, carrier sense is performed by the transmission unit 2020, and the RTS signal is transmitted again.

  On the other hand, when the RTS signal 320 is transmitted from the relay device A100, the RTS signal 320 is received by the receiving unit 2002 of the terminal device b210 (hereinafter, for the sake of convenience of description, the reference numerals of the blocks of the terminal device a200 are cited). Then, via the relay control signal acquisition unit 2006, the application unit 2010 is notified that permission of information signal transmission is requested. Therefore, the application unit 2010 refers to the desired relay start time and the desired relay continuation time, and determines whether or not the information signal can be received at this time. Specifically, if no other information signal is scheduled to be received between the desired relay start time and the desired relay continuation time, it is determined that reception is possible and another information signal is already received at this time. If there is a plan, it is determined that reception is impossible.

  If the result of determination is that reception is possible, the relay control signal to be transmitted to the first transmission source of the information signal is determined as the CTS signal. On the other hand, when reception is impossible, the relay control signal transmitted with respect to the first transmission source of an information signal is determined as a Nack signal.

  The relay control signal to be transmitted determined as described above is notified to the relay control signal generation unit 2018 via the path determination unit 2012, and the CTS signal 340 or the Nack signal 350 is generated by the relay control signal generation unit 2018. . These CTS signal 340 and Nack signal 350 include at least identification information of the terminal device a200 that is the first transmission source of the information signal and identification information of the terminal device b210 that is the final transmission destination of the information signal. The destination is the relay apparatus A100 that is the transmission source of the RTS signal 320.

  The generated CTS signal 340 or Nack signal 350 is output to the transmission unit 2020, and carrier sensing is performed by the transmission unit 2020. As a result of carrier sense, when it is determined that there is no collision with signals from other terminal apparatuses and relay apparatuses, a CTS signal 340 or a Nack signal 350 is transmitted to the relay apparatus A100.

  When the CTS signal 340 is transmitted from the terminal device b210, the CTS signal 340 is received by the reception unit 1002 of the relay device A100 and can be received by the relay control unit 1012 via the relay control signal acquisition unit 1006. Will be notified. As a result, all communication paths for information signals are secured, and the relay control unit 1012 reserves relaying of information signals from the desired relay start time. Then, the switch 1010 is closed by the relay control unit 1012 during the desired relay start time from the desired relay start time.

  In addition, in order to notify the terminal device a200 that the communication path for the information signal has been secured, the relay control signal generator 1018 is controlled by the relay control unit 1012 so as to generate a CTS signal.

  On the other hand, when the Nack signal 350 is transmitted from the terminal device b210, the Nack signal 350 is received by the receiving unit 1002 of the relay device A100 and cannot be received by the relay control unit 1012 via the relay control signal acquisition unit 1006. Is notified. Therefore, the communication path of the information signal is not secured, and the relay control signal generation unit 1018 is controlled by the relay control unit 1012 to generate the Nack signal in order to notify the terminal device a200 to that effect.

  The CTS signal 360 or the Nack signal 370 is generated by the relay control signal generation unit 1018 according to the control by the relay control unit 1012 as described above. These CTS signal 360 and Nack signal 370 include at least identification information of the terminal device a200 that is the first transmission source of the information signal and identification information of the terminal device b210 that is the final transmission destination of the information signal. The destination is the terminal device a200 that is the transmission source of the RTS signal 310.

  The generated CTS signal 360 or Nack signal 370 is output to the transmission unit 1020, and the transmission unit 1020 performs carrier sense. As a result of the carrier sense, when it is determined that no collision occurs with signals from the terminal device and other relay devices, a CTS signal 360 or a Nack signal 370 is transmitted to the terminal device a200.

  When the Nack signal 370 is transmitted from the relay device A100, the Nack signal 370 is received by the reception unit 2002 of the terminal device a200 and cannot be relayed to the application unit 2010 via the relay control signal acquisition unit 2006. Will be notified. Thereafter, the RTS signal is transmitted again after a predetermined time elapses, as in the case where the relay in the relay device A100 described above is impossible.

  On the other hand, when the CTS signal 360 is transmitted from the relay device A100, the CTS signal 360 is received by the reception unit 2002 of the terminal device a200, and the communication path of the information signal to the application unit 2010 via the relay control signal acquisition unit 2006 It is notified that is secured. Therefore, the application unit 2010 notifies the relay control signal generation unit 2018 to output a trigger signal to the information signal storage unit 2016 when the desired relay start time included in the RTS signal 310 is reached.

  When this notification is received and the desired relay start time is reached, the relay control signal generation unit 2018 outputs a trigger signal to the information signal storage unit 2016, and the information signal stored in the information signal storage unit 2016 from the time when the RTS signal 310 is transmitted. 380 is transmitted via the transmission unit 2020.

  When the information signal 380 is transmitted from the terminal device a200, the information signal 380 is received by the reception unit 1002 of the relay device A100, and is output to the switch 1010 via the information signal acquisition unit 1004. Since the information signal 380 is relayed between the desired relay start time and the desired relay continuation time included in the RTS signal 310, the switch 1010 is closed by the relay control unit 1012 here, and the information signal 380 is output to the amplification unit 1016 via the switch 1010.

  In this way, the switch 1010 is closed only when there is a relay reservation, and the switch 1010 is opened when there is no relay reservation. It is not amplified and transmitted by the amplifying unit 1016, and interference with surrounding terminal devices and relay devices can be reduced.

  Then, the information signal 380 is amplified by the amplification unit 1016 to become the information signal 390 and transmitted from the transmission unit 1020. The transmitted information signal 390 is received by the receiving unit 2002 of the terminal device b210 and is output to the application unit 2010 via the information signal acquiring unit 2004.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the communication path of the information signal is determined so that the number of relay stages is minimized based on the routing information, and the information signal of the relay control signal is transmitted prior to the communication of the information signal. Since the communication path is secured and the information signal is communicated only for the time when the communication path is secured, when the information signal is relayed, interference from signals from other terminal devices and relay devices does not occur, and the peripheral terminal devices and Interference applied to the relay device can also be reduced, and in a multi-hop relay scheme in which communication is performed via a plurality of relay devices, relaying can be performed at the same frequency without temporally switching signal transmission and reception.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the CTS signal includes at least the identification information of the first transmission source of the information signal and the identification information of the final transmission destination of the information signal. By including the desired relay start time and the desired relay continuation time, the terminal device and the relay device in the range in which the CTS signal reaches can detect that the information signal is relayed at this time. The terminal device and the relay device that have detected the relay of the information signal by a device other than its own device further improve the throughput of the entire system by not transmitting the RTS signal desired to be relayed at this time. Can do.

  In this embodiment, the carrier sense is described when transmitting the relay control signal. However, a CSMA / CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance) + Ack method is used by further combining the Ack signal. You may do it. That is, the transmission source of the relay control signal adds an error check signal to the relay control signal in advance and transmits it at the same time as the carrier sense, and the transmission destination of the relay control signal is the result of the error check using this signal. If there is no error, an Ack signal is returned to the transmission source. As a result, the relay control signal can be transmitted reliably, and the probability of collision caused by the hidden terminal problem can be suppressed to a low level.

(Embodiment 2)
A feature of the second embodiment of the present invention is that, when searching for a communication path of an information signal based on routing information, a path with the highest communication quality of the entire communication path is selected instead of a path with the smallest number of relay stages. It is.

  The configuration of the wireless communication network according to the present embodiment, and the configuration of the relay device and the terminal device are the configuration of the wireless communication network according to Embodiment 1 (FIG. 1), the relay device (FIG. 2), and the terminal device (FIG. Since it is the same as that of the structure of 3), the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In this embodiment, the routing information update information acquired by the routing information acquisition unit 1008 and the routing information acquisition unit 2008, and the routing information stored in the routing information storage unit 1014 and the routing information storage unit 2014 are implemented. This is different from the first form.

  That is, the routing information in the present embodiment includes, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, in addition to the relay device and the terminal device capable of direct communication for each relay device, between each relay device and the relay device and between the relay device and the terminal device. Communication quality between the two is associated. The routing information update information also includes communication quality information. In FIG. 7, the smaller the numerical value, the higher the communication quality. Therefore, for example, between the relay device A100 and the relay device B110, the quality is 1 and the communication quality is the highest, and on the contrary, the quality between the relay device C120 and the relay device D130 is the quality 5 and the communication quality is the lowest. The communication quality here includes, for example, reception power, average bit error rate (BER), average frame error rate (FER), coding rate, estimated SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio), and the like. Can be mentioned.

  With reference to such routing information, the route determination unit 2012 searches for a route having the best communication quality from the own device to the final transmission destination. That is, for example, in FIG. 1, in order to connect from the terminal device b210 to the terminal device h270, the route connected through the relay device B110 and the relay device E140, and the relay device A100, the relay device B110, and the relay device E140. A route to connect is conceivable.

  Regarding the former route, the communication quality between the terminal device b210 and the relay device B110 (4), the communication quality between the relay device B110 and the relay device E140 (3), and the communication quality between the relay device E140 and the terminal device h270. The sum of (3) is 10. On the other hand, regarding the latter route, the communication quality (1) between the terminal device b210 and the relay device A100, the communication quality between the relay device A100 and the relay device B110 (1), and the communication quality between the relay device B110 and the relay device E140 ( 3), and the sum of the communication quality (3) between the relay device E140 and the terminal device h270 is 8.

  Therefore, the latter route has a larger number of relay stages than the former route, but the communication quality of the entire route is better. Therefore, the route determination unit 2012 of the present embodiment selects the latter route.

  By selecting a route with high communication quality in this way, when communicating an information signal, not only can the error on the propagation path of the information signal be reduced, but also the error of the relay control signal can be reduced, It is possible to ensure a communication path for information signals.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the communication path of the information signal is determined so that the overall communication quality is the best based on the routing information, the information signal and the relay control signal on the propagation path Errors can be reduced and a communication path for information signals with good communication quality can be ensured.

  In the first and second embodiments, a TBRPF (Topology Broadcast based on Reverse-Path Forwarding) scheme may be used in order to efficiently share routing information and communication quality.

(Embodiment 3)
A feature of Embodiment 3 of the present invention is that the relay control signal is spread by a spreading code unique to the relay device or terminal device that receives the relay control signal.

  The configuration of the wireless communication network according to the present embodiment, and the configuration of the relay device and the terminal device are the configuration of the wireless communication network according to Embodiment 1 (FIG. 1), the relay device (FIG. 2), and the terminal device (FIG. Since it is the same as that of the structure of 3), the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the present embodiment, only the internal configurations of relay control signal acquisition section 1006 and relay control signal acquisition section 2006, relay control signal generation section 1018 and relay control signal generation section 2018 are different from those of the first embodiment.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 8A, the relay control signal acquisition unit 1006 in the present embodiment has a despreading unit 1006a inside, and the relay control signal generation unit 1018 has the same configuration as that of FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the diffusion portion 1018a is provided inside. The relay control signal acquisition unit 2006 has the same configuration as the relay control signal acquisition unit 1006, and the relay control signal generation unit 2018 has the same configuration as the relay control signal generation unit 1018.

  The despreading unit 1006a obtains only the relay control signal addressed to its own device by despreading the received signal using a spreading code unique to that device.

  The spreading unit 1018a spreads the generated relay control signal with a spreading code unique to the destination terminal device or relay device of the relay control signal.

  As described in the first embodiment, the information signal is transmitted through the secured communication path, while the relay control signal is not transmitted through the secured communication path. Therefore, there is a possibility that the relay control signal is transmitted between a plurality of devices at the same timing. In particular, in the multi-hop relay scheme, more relay control signals are transmitted than in the single-hop relay scheme, and the possibility that the relay control signals are transmitted at the same time increases.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, by spreading the relay control signal with a unique spreading code for each device, the device that receives the relay control signal can reliably acquire only the relay control signal addressed to itself. . In addition, it is preferable that each device stores in advance a unique spreading code for each device, and these spreading codes are orthogonal to each other.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the relay control signal is spread and transmitted with a unique spreading code for each device, each device can accurately obtain only the relay control signal addressed to itself. It is possible to prevent malfunction of relay control and to ensure a communication path for information signals.

  In this embodiment, each device is distinguished by spreading the relay control signal with a unique spreading code for each device. For example, an identification number is assigned to each device in advance, and relay control is performed. The identification number of the device that is the destination of the relay control signal may be included in the header of the signal. Even if the identification number is used as described above, it is possible to distinguish each device, and the circuit configuration is simplified as compared with the case of spreading using a spreading code.

  Further, the identification number may be given at the time of manufacturing each device or set by the user. Furthermore, it may be automatically assigned when the network is started up.

(Embodiment 4)
A feature of Embodiment 4 of the present invention is that the relay control signal is spread by a plurality of spreading codes.

  The configuration of the wireless communication network according to the present embodiment, and the configuration of the relay device and the terminal device are the configuration of the wireless communication network according to Embodiment 1 (FIG. 1), the relay device (FIG. 2), and the terminal device (FIG. Since it is the same as that of the structure of 3), the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the present embodiment, only the internal configurations of relay control signal acquisition section 1006 and relay control signal acquisition section 2006, relay control signal generation section 1018 and relay control signal generation section 2018 are different from those of the first embodiment.

  That is, relay control signal acquisition section 1006 in the present embodiment has despreading section 1006a and despreading section 1006b inside as shown in FIG. 9 (a). Note that the despreading unit 1006a is the same as the despreading unit 1006a of Embodiment 3, and a description thereof is omitted. On the other hand, the relay control signal generation unit 1018 in the present embodiment has a diffusion unit 1018a and a diffusion unit 1018b inside as shown in FIG. 9B. Note that the diffusion unit 1018a is the same as the diffusion unit 1018a of the third embodiment, and a description thereof is omitted. The relay control signal acquisition unit 2006 has the same configuration as the relay control signal acquisition unit 1006, and the relay control signal generation unit 2018 has the same configuration as the relay control signal generation unit 1018.

  The despreading unit 1006b obtains a relay control signal addressed to itself by despreading the received signal with a spreading code different from the spreading code used by the despreading unit 1006a.

  The spreading unit 1018b spreads the generated relay control signal with a spreading code different from the spreading code used by the spreading unit 1018a.

  In this embodiment, in addition to spreading the relay control signal with the device-specific spreading code in the third embodiment, the relay control signal is further spread with another spreading code. Other spreading codes are spreading codes unique to each device as in the third embodiment. That is, each device is associated with a plurality of unique spreading codes, and when communicating relay control signals, spreading processing is performed using any one of these spreading codes.

  Therefore, each device can transmit and receive a plurality of relay control signals simultaneously. Specifically, for example, when the RTS signals described in Embodiment 1 are transmitted from a plurality of terminal devices to one relay device, the despreading unit 1006a and the despreading unit 1006b are used in the relay device that receives the RTS signal. By performing despreading at the same time, it is possible to simultaneously process a plurality (two in this case) of RTS signals. As a result, the transmission efficiency of the entire system can be improved.

  Further, the despreading unit 1006b and the spreading unit 1018b may perform despreading and spreading using a spreading code common to all devices, instead of using a spreading code unique to each device.

  That is, as described in the first embodiment, by including the desired relay start time and the desired relay continuation time in the CTS signal, peripheral devices that have received the CTS signal can detect the time when the relay is performed. However, when the reception by all devices such as this CTS signal contributes to the improvement in throughput, the signal is spread by a spreading code common to all devices.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the relay control signal is transmitted by being spread with a plurality of spreading codes, so that the transmission efficiency of the entire system can be improved.

  The communication device, the relay device, and the communication method according to the present invention can perform relaying at the same frequency without switching signal transmission and reception temporally in a multi-hop relay system that communicates via a plurality of relay devices. For example, in a wireless LAN, it is useful as a communication device, a relay device, and a communication method for performing long-distance communication by relaying a signal having a relatively short reach in multiple stages.

The figure which shows the structural example of the radio | wireless communication network which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a relay device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a terminal apparatus according to Embodiment 1. Sequence diagram showing operations of terminal apparatus and relay apparatus according to Embodiment 1 The figure which shows an example of the format of the information signal which concerns on Embodiment 1 The figure which shows an example of the routing information which concerns on Embodiment 1 The figure which shows an example of the routing information which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. (A) Block diagram showing internal configuration of relay control signal acquisition section according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention (b) Block diagram showing internal configuration of relay control signal generation section according to Embodiment 3 (A) Block diagram showing internal configuration of relay control signal acquisition section according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention (b) Block diagram showing internal configuration of relay control signal generation section according to Embodiment 4

Explanation of symbols

1002, 2002 Reception unit 1004, 2004 Information signal acquisition unit 1006, 2006 Relay control signal acquisition unit 1008, 2008 Routing information acquisition unit 1010 Switch 1012 Relay control unit 1014, 2014 Routing information storage unit 1016 Amplification unit 1018, 2018 Relay control signal generation Unit 1020, 2020 transmission unit 2010 application unit 2012 route determination unit 2016 information signal storage unit 1006a, 1006b despreading unit 1018a, 1018b spreading unit

Claims (14)

A communication device for transmitting an information signal to another communication device in a wireless communication network having one or more relay devices and a plurality of communication devices,
Storage means for storing routing information indicating all relay devices and communication devices that can directly communicate with each relay device;
Determining means for determining a communication path of an information signal to the other communication device based on stored routing information;
A transmission means for transmitting a relay control signal for securing the determined communication path, and transmitting the information signal when a signal indicating that the communication path is secured is received as a response to the relay control signal;
A communication device. The determining means includes
The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a communication path that minimizes the number of relay apparatuses through which an information signal passes to the other communication apparatus is determined. The storage means
Storing routing information including communication quality in all propagation paths between all the relay devices and communication devices capable of direct communication and the associated relay devices;
The determining means includes
The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a communication path is determined such that communication quality of an entire propagation path through which an information signal passes to the other communication apparatus is maximized. Obtaining means for obtaining update information of the routing information;
The storage means
The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stored routing information is updated according to the update information. The transmission means includes
The communication apparatus according to claim 1, which transmits a relay control signal including identification information of the own apparatus and identification information of the other communication apparatus that is a transmission destination of the information signal. The transmission means includes
2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a relay control signal including a desired relay start time desired to start relay of the information signal and a desired relay duration desired to continue the relay is transmitted. The transmission means includes
The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising spreading means for spreading the relay control signal with a spreading code unique to a destination of the relay control signal. The diffusion means is
The communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of relay control signals are spread simultaneously. The diffusion means is
While spreading the transmission request relay control signal to the effect that transmission of an information signal is desired with a first spreading code unique to the destination of the relay control signal, the relay control signal is shared by all relay devices and communication devices in the wireless communication network. 8. The communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the transmission permission relay control signal for permitting transmission of the information signal is spread with a two spreading code. The transmission means includes
The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a relay control signal including unique identifier information is transmitted for each destination of the relay control signal. A relay device that relays an information signal to another relay device or any communication device in a wireless communication network having one or more relay devices and a plurality of communication devices,
Receiving means for receiving the first transmission request relay control signal transmitted to secure the communication path of the information signal from the previous transmission source on the communication path;
Determining means for determining whether or not the information signal can be relayed at a desired relay time included in the received first transmission request relay control signal;
If it is determined that the relay is possible, the second transmission request relay control signal for securing the communication path of the information signal is transmitted to the next transmission destination in the communication path. A transmission means for transmitting a transmission impossible relay control signal indicating that the transmission is impossible to the previous transmission source;
If the result of determination is that relaying is possible, relay means for relaying the information signal during the desired relay time included in the first transmission request relay control signal;
A relay device.   The identification information of the first transmission source of the information signal included in the first transmission request relay control signal, the identification information of the final transmission destination of the information signal included in the first transmission request relay control signal, and stored in advance The relay apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a determination unit that determines a communication path of the information signal based on the routing information. A communication method for transmitting an information signal in a wireless communication network having one or more relay devices and a plurality of communication devices,
Determining a communication path of an information signal based on routing information indicating all relay devices and communication devices capable of direct communication for each relay device;
Transmitting a relay control signal for securing the determined communication path;
Receiving a signal indicating that the communication path is secured as a response to the relay control signal;
Transmitting the information signal on the secured communication path;
A communication method. A communication method for relaying an information signal in a wireless communication network having one or more relay devices and a plurality of communication devices,
Receiving a first transmission request relay control signal transmitted to secure a communication path for information signals from a previous transmission source on the communication path;
Determining whether or not the information signal can be relayed at a desired relay time included in the received first transmission request relay control signal;
If it is determined that the relay is possible, the second transmission request relay control signal for securing the communication path of the information signal is transmitted to the next transmission destination in the communication path. Transmitting a transmission impossible relay control signal indicating that the transmission is impossible to the previous transmission source;
As a result of the determination, if relaying is possible, relaying the information signal at the desired relay time included in the first transmission request relay control signal;
A communication method.

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