Radio communication system and radio terminal device using faster and slower radio networks cooperatively

Abstract

A communication system including a first terminal device connected to first and second networks, having only a reception function with respect to the first network and transmission and reception functions with respect to the second network, the first network being a radio network according to IEEE 802.11 and the second network being a radio network slower than the first network, and a second terminal device connected to the first and second networks, having at least a transmission function with respect to the first network and transmission and reception functions with respect to the second network is disclosed. In this communication system, the first terminal device carries out a prescribed procedure required in using the first terminal as a receiving side in the first network, by carrying out communications with the second terminal device through the second network, the second terminal device transmits a prescribed information to the first network on behalf of the first terminal device, the prescribed information being an information required to be transmitted to the first network in order for the first terminal device to receive packets through the first network, and the first terminal device receives the packets through the first network.

1 . A communication system, comprising: 
 a first terminal device connected to first and second networks, having only a reception function with respect to the first network and transmission and reception functions with respect to the second network, the first network being a radio network according to IEEE 802.11 and the second network being a radio network slower than the first network; and    a second terminal device connected to the first and second networks, having at least a transmission function with respect to the first network and transmission and reception functions with respect to the second network;    wherein the first terminal device carries out a prescribed authentication/admission procedure required in using the first terminal as a receiving side in the first network, by carrying out communications with the second terminal device through the second network;    the second terminal device transmits a prescribed information to the first network on behalf of the first terminal device, the prescribed information being an information required to be transmitted to the first network in order to complete the prescribed authentication/admission procedure such that the first terminal device becomes capable of receiving packets through the first network; and    the first terminal device receives the packets through the first network.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the packets are transmitted from a source terminal to the second terminal device through the first network, and then transmitted from the second terminal device to the first terminal device through the first network using a unidirectional downlink defined between the first terminal device and the second terminal device in the first network.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the packets are directly transmitted from a source terminal to the first terminal device through the first network.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first terminal device notifies a source terminal having transmission and reception functions with respect to the first network to the second terminal device, and the second terminal device transmits an information necessary for the source terminal to transmit the packets destined to the first terminal device through the first network.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first terminal device notifies a source terminal on a third network different from the first and second networks to the second terminal device, the second terminal device transmits a request for transmitting the packets to the second terminal device to the source terminal through the third network, the source terminal transmits the packets to the second terminal device through the third network, and the second terminal device transfers the packets received from the source terminal through the third network to the first terminal device through the first network.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first terminal device carries out the prescribed procedure by transmitting a packet containing a control information for the first network and attached with an indication in a MAC layer indicating that the control information is contained in the packet, to the second terminal device through the second network, and 
 the second terminal device identifies the packet containing the control information by detecting the indication by a processing in the MAC layer.    
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first terminal device carries out the prescribed procedure by transmitting a packet containing a control information for the first network and an indication indicating that the control information is contained in the packet, to the second terminal device through the second network, and the second terminal device identifies the packet containing the control information by detecting the indication by a processing in an upper layer of a MAC layer.  
   
   
       8 . A method of packet transfer in a communication system including a first terminal device connected to first and second networks, having only a reception function with respect to the first network and transmission and reception functions with respect to the second network, the first network being a radio network according to IEEE 802.11 and the second network being a radio network slower than the first network, and a second terminal device connected to the first and second networks, having at least a transmission function with respect to the first network and transmission and reception functions with respect to the second network, the method comprising the steps of: 
 carrying out a prescribed authentication/admission procedure required in using the first terminal as a receiving side in the first network, by carrying out communications between the first terminal device and the second terminal device through the second network;    transmitting a prescribed information from the second terminal device to the first network on behalf of the first terminal device, the prescribed information being an information required to be transmitted to the first network in order to complete the prescribed authentication/admission procedure such that the first terminal device becomes capable of receiving packets through the first network; and    receiving the packets at the first terminal device through the first network.