# US 10,375,550 B2 · Control apparatus and communication terminal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,375,550 B2 - Document ID: US10375550B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/904,831 - Filed: 2014-07-11 - Published: 2016-07-07 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-07-18 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Masanori Sato; Katsutoshi Itoh; Hideyuki Suzuki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10375550B2 ## CPC - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - H04W 76/14: Direct-mode setup - H04W 88/06: adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals - H04W 4/023: {using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds} - H04W 12/63: Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent - H04W 76/23: Manipulation of direct-mode connections - H04W 92/18: between terminal devices - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A control apparatus that transmits a confirmation request to confirm whether a direct communication is possible to each terminal as a target of the direct communication. Each terminal confirms whether the direct communication is possible and transmits the confirmation result to the control apparatus. The control apparatus judges whether the direct communication is possible based on the confirmation result transmitted from the terminal and transmits a switch request for the direct communication to the terminal side. Therefore, a situation where a communication cannot actually be established when switching to the direct communication can be avoided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control apparatus, comprising: a base station configured to: receive, from a first communication terminal of a plurality of communication terminals, a connection request to establish a direct communication link with a second communication terminal of the plurality of communication terminals; determine a distance between the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal; transmit, based on the distance being one of less than or equal to a threshold distance, a confirmation request to each of the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal, wherein the confirmation request includes: at least one parameter to establish the direct communication link, and first timing information that indicates a first time period for reception, of a confirmation result that indicates a first value, from at least one of the first communication terminal or the second communication terminal; receive, from at least one of the first communication terminal or the second communication terminal, the confirmation result, wherein the confirmation result indicates the first value based on the at least one parameter in the confirmation request; transmit, based on the first value being greater than a minimum threshold value, a switch request to the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal to establish the direct communication link; and determine the first communication terminal as a base unit, based on a priority degree of the first communication terminal, wherein the base unit is concurrently in communication with the base station and the second communication terminal, and wherein the priority degree of the first communication terminal is a sum of at least a first numerical value indicating a number of direct communication wireless systems supported by the first communication terminal and a second numerical value indicating a state of a connection of the first communication terminal with the base station. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base station is further configured to determine that the distance between the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal is one of less than or equal to the threshold distance based on one of the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal that are in communication with a same base station, or the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal in communication with proximate base stations. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base station is further configured to: select a direct communication wireless system for the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal; and transmit the confirmation request to establish the direct communication link between the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal, based on the direct communication wireless system selected for the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the base station is further configured to insert identification information of the second communication terminal into the confirmation request, and wherein the confirmation request includes first information on the direct communication wireless system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the at least one parameter is unique to the direct communication wireless system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switch request includes at least one of first information on a direct communication wireless system, or identification information of the second communication terminal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the switch request includes second timing information that indicates a second time period to establish the direct communication link. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the base station is further configured to select the direct communication wireless system for the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal, and wherein the at least one parameter is unique to the direct communication wireless system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the switch request includes second information of the base unit. ### Claim 10 A first communication terminal, comprising: at least one processor configured to: receive, from a control apparatus, a confirmation request based on a distance between the first communication terminal of a plurality of communication terminals and a second communication terminal of the plurality of communication terminals being one of less than or equal to a threshold distance, wherein the confirmation request includes: at least one parameter to establish a direct communication link between the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal, and timing information that indicates a time period for transmission of a value by the first communication terminal; determine the value based on the at least one parameter in the confirmation request; transmit the value as a confirmation result to the control apparatus; receive a switch request to establish the direct communication link between the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal, wherein a first communication terminal is determined as a base unit, based on a priority degree of the first communication terminal, wherein the base unit is concurrently in communication with a base station of the control apparatus and the second communication terminal, and wherein the priority degree of the first communication terminal is a sum of at least a first numerical value indicating a number of direct communication wireless systems supported by the first communication terminal and a second numerical value indicating a state of a connection of the first communication terminal with the base station; and establish the direct communication link with the second communication terminal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The first communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: measure electric field intensity of the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal; and determine the value based on the electric field intensity. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The first communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the confirmation request includes at least one of first information on a direct communication wireless system, or identification information of the second communication terminal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The first communication terminal according to claim 12, wherein the at least one parameter is unique to the direct communication wireless system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The first communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the switch request includes at least one of first information on a direct communication wireless system, or identification information of the second communication terminal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The first communication terminal according to claim 14, wherein the at least one parameter is unique to the direct communication wireless system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The first communication terminal according to claim 14, wherein the switch request includes second information on the base unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The first communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit a connection request, and wherein the connection request indicates second information to establish the direct communication link between the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal.