Radio communication system and communication method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a radio communication system of a frequency hopping system, which carries out time division multiplex by TDMA and carrying out communications while changing over two or more frequencies with respect to a radio link, wherein it is therefore an object to effectively utilize radio resources by establishing a plurality of radio links. The first communication apparatus periodically transmits control data by a frame cycle and the second communication apparatus of a communication partner thereof receives the above-described control information during standby and secures synchronization in timing of frames and slots and timing of frequency hopping, wherein communication signals between both communication apparatuses and control information are overlapped in a slot to establish radio links. Also, once radio links are established in a plurality of slots other than a slot for transmitting control information, it is controlled that the control information is overlapped in the slots in which a radio link is established.

1 . A radio communication system of a frequency hopping system, which is capable of executing time division multiplexing and carrying out communications while changing over two or more frequencies between the system and a single communication partner, comprising: 
 a first communication apparatus, including a transmitting portion which transmits a control information by one slot in one frame; and    a second communication apparatus, communicating with the first communication apparatus and including a receiving portion so as to receive the control information and a timing generating portion so as to acquire synchronization in timing with the first communication apparatus;    wherein the transmitting portion of the first communication apparatus transmits communication signals with the control information in one slot.    
     
     
         2 . The radio communication system according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein the first communication apparatus transmits a control information by at least one slot in one frame in advance;    the second communication apparatus acquires synchronization in timing with the first communication apparatus on the basis of the control information to be received by the second communication apparatus during standby;    the first communication apparatus and the second communication apparatus establish a plurality of radio links when commencing communications; and    at least one of the first communication apparatus and the second communication apparatus transmits communication signals and the control information in one slot between the first communication apparatus and the second communication apparatus.    
     
     
         3 . The radio communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first communication apparatus transmits control information to be the reference by at least one of slots in a predetermined frame cycle; 
 the second communication apparatus receives the control information during standby and securing synchronization between timing of the frame and slots and timing of frequency hopping with the first communication apparatus so as to establish a plurality of radio links when commencing communications and carrying out communications;    wherein at least one of the first means and the second means establishes a radio link so as to include communication signals and control information in one slot between the first communication apparatus and the second communication apparatus and establishes a radio link so as to transmit communication signal in another slot.    
     
     
         4 . The radio communication system according to  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 controlling means, which establishes radio links in a plurality of slots other than a control slot for transmitting control information when establishing a plurality of radio links and controls so that the control information is overlapped onto the slots of the established radio links.    
     
     
         5 . The radio communication system according to  claim 3 , 
 wherein the second communication apparatus immediately transmits a communication signal by a transmission slot corresponding to the slot which receives a control slot from the first communication apparatus after the first radio link is established.    
     
     
         6 . A radio communication system of a frequency hopping system, which is capable of carrying out time division multiplex by dividing time by a predetermined period of time and by dividing time in a frame by a predetermined period of time, and carrying out communications while changing over two or more frequencies for one radio link; comprising: 
 a first communication apparatus, including first means for transmitting a control information to be the reference, by at least one of the slots in a predetermined frame cycle;    a second communication apparatus, communicating with the first communication apparatus and including second means for receiving the control information during standby, securing synchronization between timing of the frame and slots and timing of frequency hopping with the first communication apparatus so as to establish a plurality of radio links when commencing communications and carrying out communications;    at least one of the first means and the second means is capable of transmitting communication signal with control information to each other and establishing radio links; and    controlling means controls so that control information is overlapped onto slots of radio links that are already established when the number of communication-possible slots that are not used yet becomes a predetermined threshold value or less.    
     
     
         7 . A radio communication system of a frequency hopping system, which is capable of carrying out time division multiplex by dividing time by a predetermined period of time and by dividing time in a frame by a predetermined period of time, and carrying out communications while changing over two or more frequencies for one radio link; comprising: 
 a first communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus, communicating with each other and which are capable of establishing radio links by transmitting communication signals with control information, and are capable of establishing at least one or more radio links during communication, selecting decoded signals through a radio link whose communication quality is favorable, and carrying out communications;    wherein the first communication apparatus includes means for transmitting control information for notifying whether or not a plurality of radio links are enabled;    the second communication apparatus that becomes a communication partner of the first communication apparatus includes means for receiving the control information; and    wherein the control information transmitted from the first communication apparatus notifies whether or not a plurality of radio links are enabled, and    the second communication apparatus is controlled in response thereto so that it determines whether a communication is carried out with a plurality of radio links established or with a single radio link established.    
     
     
         8 . A radio communication system of a frequency hopping system, which is capable of carrying out time division multiplex by dividing time by a predetermined period of time and by dividing time in a frame by a predetermined period of time, and carrying out communications while changing over two or more frequencies for one radio link; comprising: 
 a first communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus, communicating with each other and which are capable of establishing radio links by overlapping control information and communication signals between the first communication apparatus and the second communication apparatus, and are capable of establishing at least one or more radio links during communication, selecting decoded signals through a radio link whose communication quality is favorable, and carrying out communications;    wherein the first communication apparatus includes means for notifying b a radio signal whether or not a plurality of radio links are permitted;    the second communication apparatus includes means for inquiring by a radio signal whether or not a plurality of radio links are permitted; and    the second communication apparatus inquires from the inquiring means to the notifying means with respect to whether or not radio links are permitted, and operates on the basis of the result of notification so that a plurality of radio links are established where a plurality of radio links are permitted, and only one radio link is established where a plurality of radio links are not permitted, prior to commencement of a communication.    
     
     
         9 . A radio communication system of a frequency hopping system, which is capable of carrying out time division multiplex by dividing time by a predetermined period of time and by dividing time in a frame by a predetermined period of time, and carrying out communications while changing over two or more frequencies for one radio link in which a first communication apparatus is capable of communicating with at least one or more second communication apparatuses registered in advance, comprising: 
 a first communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus, communicating with each other, which are capable of establishing radio links by overlapping control information and communication signals between the first communication apparatus and the second communication apparatus, and are capable of establishing at least one or more radio links during communication, selecting decoded signals through a radio link whose communication quality is favorable, and carrying out communications;    wherein the first communication apparatus and the second communication apparatus include registering means for carrying out registration of the second communication apparatus by a radio signal and storing means for storing information notified by the first communication apparatus in registering; and    when carrying out registration by the registering means, the first communication apparatus notifies to the second communication apparatus whether a plurality of radio links are permitted or not permitted the second communication apparatus stores the information in the storing means;    when carrying out communications, the second communication apparatus operates so as to establish a plurality of radio links on the basis of the stored information where a plurality of radio links are permitted, and operates so as to establish only one radio link where a plurality of radio links are not permitted.    
     
     
         10 . The radio communication system according to  claim 7  and  8 , wherein the radio communication system notifies that a plurality of radio links are not permitted when the number of usable radio resources becomes a predetermined threshold value or less.  
     
     
         11 . The radio communication system according to  claim 7 ,  8  and  9 , further comprising: 
 means for inputting a user's command and storing the same;    wherein the radio communication system notifies that a plurality of radio links are permitted or not permitted in compliance with the user's command.    
     
     
         12 . A communication method making communications by using a frequency hopping system, which is capable of carrying out time division multiplex by dividing time by a predetermined period of time and by dividing time in a frame by a predetermined period of time, and carrying out communications while changing over two or more frequencies for one radio link, 
 in which a first communication apparatus transmits control information, which becomes the reference, by at least one of the slots in a predetermined frame cycle; and    a second communication apparatus communicating with the first communication apparatus, receives the control information during standby and secures synchronization between timing of frames and slots with the first communication apparatus and timing of frequency hopping;    comprising the steps of:    establishing a first radio link when the first communication apparatus and the second communication apparatus commences a communication;    establishing further one or more radio links and carrying out a communication; and    establishing a radio link so that at least one of the plurality of radio links transmits communication signals with control information.    
     
     
         13 . The communication method according to  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of: 
 establishing a first radio link when commencing a communication;    establishing a radio link in a slot other than the control slot for transmitting control information and communicating therethrough; and    shifting the control slot to the slot in which a radio link is established.    
     
     
         14 . The communication method according to  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of: 
 transmitting communication signals to the second communication apparatus by overlapping the communication signal onto the control slot after establishing the first radio link in the first communication apparatus.    
     
     
         15 . The communication method according to  claim 12 , further comprising the step of: 
 transmitting communication signals by a transmission slot corresponding to a receiving slot of a control slot from the first communication apparatus after establishing the first radio link in the second communication apparatus.    
     
     
         16 . The communication method according to  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of: 
 shifting the control slot to a slot in which a radio slot is established when the number of communication-possible slots becomes a predetermined threshold value or less.    
     
     
         17 . A radio communication method of a frequency hopping system, which is capable of carrying out time division multiplex by dividing time by a predetermined period of time and by dividing time in a frame by a predetermined period of time, and carrying out communications while changing over two or more frequencies for one radio link; 
 in which a first communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus communicates with the first communication apparatus are capable of establishing radio links by transmitting communication signals with control information, and are capable of establishing at least one or more radio links during communication, selecting decoded signals through a radio link whose communication quality is favorable, and carrying out communications; comprises:    a step for the first communication apparatus to transmit control information including control information that notifies whether or not a plurality of radio links are enabled;    a step for the second communication apparatus that becomes a communication partner of the first communication apparatus to receive the control information;    a step of notifying whether or not a plurality of radio links are enabled, in said control information transmitted from the first communication apparatus; and    a step for the second communication apparatus to determine whether a communication is carried out with a plurality of radio links established or a communication is carried out with one radio link established.    
     
     
         18 . A radio communication method of a frequency hopping system, which is capable of executing time division multiplexing and carrying out communications while changing over two or more frequencies for one radio link, 
 wherein a first communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus are capable of establishing radio links by transmitting communication signals with control information and are capable of establishing at least one or more radio links during communication, selecting decoded signals through a radio link whose communication quality is favorable, and carrying out communications; and includes the steps of:    notifying by a radio signal whether or not a plurality of radio links are permitted;    inquiring by a radio signal whether or not a plurality of radio links are permitted; and    establishing a plurality of radio links where a plurality of radio links are permitted and establishing only one radio link where a plurality of radio links are not permitted, on the basis of the result of notification when the second communication apparatus inquires from the inquiring means to the notifying means with respect to whether or not radio links are permitted, prior to commencement of a communication.    
     
     
         19 . The communication method according to  claim 17  and  18 , further comprising the steps of: 
 operating so as to establish a plurality of radio links in a permitted state according to a state where a plurality of radio links are permitted or not permitted in cases of audio communications.    
     
     
         20 . The radio communication system of a frequency hopping system, which is capable of executing time division multiplexing and carrying out communications while changing over two or more frequencies between the system and a single communication partner, 
 wherein a receiving error is monitored in respective slots; and    in one slot in which no collision occurs where a transmission and receiving collision is continuously detected in the other slot, a frequency altering process of the slot where a collision occurs is carried out by utilizing a control field of a data format.    
     
     
         21 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein, where a transmission and receiving collision is continuously detected in one communication slot when carrying out frequency diversity communications by two slots, a diversity stop process is carried out by utilizing a control field of the other slot where no collision occurs.  
     
     
         22 . A radio communication system of a frequency hopping system, which is capable of executing time division multiplexing and carrying out communications while changing over two or more frequencies between the system and a single communication partner, comprising: 
 means for carrying out a diversity communication that transmits the same information by two slots by using the same hopping pattern in both radio communication apparatuses;    means for selecting a hopping pattern from a plurality of hopping patterns;    a slot diversity controlling portion for controlling a hopping pattern and a communication state in two communication slots;    means for monitoring a receiving state of data received by respective slots;    a sequence collision monitoring portion for detecting a sequence collision;    means for selecting data having a better receiving state from data received by the two slots;    means for transmitting pattern alteration, which transmits a hopping pattern alteration request to a communication partner;    a response confirming portion for confirming a response from a communication partner with respect to a transmitted hopping pattern alteration request; and    a pattern alteration monitoring portion for monitoring a hopping pattern alteration request from a communication partner.    
     
     
         23 . A radio communication system of a frequency hopping system, which is capable of executing time division multiplexing and carrying out communications while changing over two or more frequencies between the system and a single communication partner, comprising: 
 diversity stop transmitting means for monitoring a receiving error by respective communication slots and transmitting a slot diversity stop request by utilizing a control field of one slot in which no collision occurs where a transmission and receiving collision is continuously detected in the other communication slot; and    a diversity stop monitoring portion for monitoring a slot diversity stop request from a communication partner.