Relay apparatus, program, communication system, and method

Abstract

To provide a relay apparatus for relay communication between a wireless base station and a communication terminal, the relay apparatus including: a relay function management switch for switching from on to off a relay function for relaying communications between the wireless base station and the communication terminal based on the satisfaction of a predetermined condition; and a signal transmitter for transmitting, to the communication terminal, establishing a wireless communication connection with the relay apparatus, a signal to execute handover to a handover destination which is identified before the predetermined condition has been satisfied if the predetermined condition has been satisfied.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A relay apparatus for relay communication between a wireless base station and a communication terminal, wherein the relay apparatus is installed in a moving body, the relay apparatus comprising:
 a relay function management switch for switching from on to off a relay function for relaying communications between the wireless base station and the communication terminal based on satisfaction of a predetermined condition; and   a signal transmitter for transmitting, to the communication terminal establishing a wireless communication connection with the relay apparatus, a signal to execute handover to a handover destination if the predetermined condition has been satisfied, wherein the handover destination is identified prior to the predetermined condition being satisfied.   
     
     
         2 . The relay apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, if the predetermined condition has been satisfied, the signal transmitter transmits, to the communication terminal, the signal to execute handover to the handover destination, wherein the communication terminal executes handover to the handover destination without making a measurement report on a received radio wave. 
     
     
         3 . The relay apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the signal transmitter transmits a radio resource control (“RRC”) connection reconfiguration including a specification of the handover destination. 
     
     
         4 . The relay apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the signal transmitter transmits, to the communication terminal, the signal to execute handover with the wireless base station with which the relay apparatus establishes a wireless communication connection serving as the handover destination. 
     
     
         5 . The relay apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a reception strength measurement part for measuring a radio wave reception strength from a plurality of movable relay apparatuses different from the relay apparatus; and   wherein the signal transmitter transmits, to the communication terminal, the signal to execute handover with the relay apparatus, having a stronger radio wave reception strength among the plurality of movable relay apparatuses, serving as the handover destination.   
     
     
         6 . The relay apparatus according to  claim 5  further comprising:
 a change determination part for determining a temporal change in the radio wave reception strength from the plurality of movable relay apparatuses different from the relay apparatus; and 
 wherein the signal transmitter transmits, to the communication terminal, the signal to execute handover with the relay apparatus, having a stronger radio wave reception strength and a smaller temporal change among the plurality of movable relay apparatuses, serving as the handover destination. 
 
     
     
         7 . The relay apparatus according to  claim 4  further comprising:
 a change determination part for determining a temporal change in a radio wave reception strength from a plurality of movable relay apparatuses different from the relay apparatus; and 
 wherein the signal transmitter transmits, to the communication terminal, the signal to execute handover with the relay apparatus, having a smaller temporal change among the plurality of movable relay apparatuses, serving as the handover destination. 
 
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented method, comprising the steps of:
 switching from on to off a relay function of a relay apparatus for relaying communications between a wireless base station and a communication terminal based on a satisfaction of a predetermined condition;   identifying a handover destination from the relay apparatus of the communication terminal before the predetermined condition has been satisfied; and   transmitting, to the communication terminal, establishing a wireless communication connection with the relay apparatus, a signal to execute handover to the identified handover destination if the predetermined condition has been satisfied.   
     
     
         9 . A computer-implemented method, comprising the steps of:
 switching from on to off a relay function of a relay apparatus for relaying communications between a wireless base station and a communication terminal based on a satisfaction of a predetermined condition;   identifying a handover destination from the relay apparatus of the communication terminal before the predetermined condition has been satisfied; and   transmitting to the communication terminal, establishing a wireless communication connection with the relay apparatus, a signal to execute handover to the handover destination which is identified in the identifying stage if the predetermined condition has been satisfied.   
     
     
         10 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when implemented by one or more machines, causes the one or more machines to perform operations comprising:
 switching with a relay function management switch from on to off a relay function for relaying communications between a wireless base station and a communication terminal based on a satisfaction of a predetermined condition; and   transmitting with a signal transmitter, to the communication terminal establishing a wireless communication connection with a relay apparatus, a signal to execute handover to a handover destination if the predetermined condition has been satisfied, wherein the handover destination is identified prior to the predetermined condition being satisfied.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions of  claim 10 , wherein:
 if the predetermined condition has been satisfied, the signal transmitter transmits, to the communication terminal, the signal to execute handover to the handover destination, wherein the communication terminal executes handover to the handover destination without making a measurement report on a received radio wave.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions according to  claim 11 , wherein the signal transmitter transmits a radio resource control (“RRC”) connection reconfiguration including a specification of the handover destination. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions according to  claim 12 , wherein the signal transmitter transmits, to the communication terminal, the signal to execute handover with the wireless base station with which the relay apparatus establishes a wireless communication connection serving as the handover destination. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions according to  claim 13 , wherein the relay apparatus is installed in a moving body. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 measuring a radio wave reception strength from a plurality of movable relay apparatuses different from the relay apparatus with a reception strength measurement part; and   wherein the signal transmitter transmits, to the communication terminal, the signal to execute handover with the relay apparatus, having a stronger radio wave reception strength among the plurality of movable relay apparatuses, serving as the handover destination.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions according to  claim 15  further comprising:
 determining a temporal change in the radio wave reception strength from the plurality of movable relay apparatuses different from the relay apparatus with a change determination part; and 
 wherein the signal transmitter transmits, to the communication terminal, the signal to execute handover with the relay apparatus, having a stronger radio wave reception strength and a smaller temporal change among the plurality of movable relay apparatuses, serving as the handover destination.