# US 10,873,894 B2 · Wireless communication device and communication method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,894 B2 - Document ID: US10873894B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/516,303 - Filed: 2015-08-31 - Published: 2017-08-24 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-09 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Ryokichi Onishi; Makiko Matsumoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873894B2 ## CPC - H04W 40/18: based on predicted events - H04W 4/46: for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V] - H04W 40/02: Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing - H04W 40/026: {Route selection considering the moving speed of individual devices} - H04W 40/20: based on geographic position or location - H04W 64/006: {with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination} - H04W 76/14: Direct-mode setup - H04W 4/024: Guidance services - H04W 4/029: Location-based management or tracking services - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A wireless communication device has: wireless communication unit; calculation unit for calculating an evaluation value based on an opportunity for communication with the access providing device; transmission unit for transmitting the evaluation value to the other wireless communication device; acquisition unit for acquiring an evaluation value for the other wireless communication device; and communication control unit. When the other wireless communication device has more opportunities for communication than the wireless communication device does, the communication control unit preferably transmits uplink information, but when the other wireless communication device has less opportunity for communication than the wireless communication device does, the communication control unit preferably transmits downlink information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wireless communication device comprising: a wireless communication client configured to (i) perform wireless communication with an access providing device providing access to a predetermined device, and (ii) perform wireless communication with a secondary wireless communication device; a first memory configured to store an evaluation value calculation program, the evaluation value calculation program being configured to calculate a first evaluation value based on at least an estimation of an opportunity for communication between the wireless communication device and the access providing device in a future predetermined time period; a second memory configured to store an evaluation value acquisition program, the evaluation value acquisition program being configured to acquire a second evaluation value for the secondary wireless communication device; a processor configured to (i) read and execute the evaluation value calculation program from the first memory, and (ii) read and execute the evaluation value acquisition program from the second memory; a communication controller configured to control communication between the wireless communication device and the secondary wireless communication device based on a comparison between the first evaluation value and the second evaluation value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein when the communication controller makes a determination based on the comparison between the first evaluation value and the second evaluation value that the secondary wireless communication device has more opportunities to communicate with the access providing device than the wireless communication device does, the communication controller implements control such that information directed to the predetermined device is sent to the secondary wireless communication device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein when the communication controller makes a determination based on the comparison between the first evaluation value and the second evaluation value that the wireless communication device has more opportunities to communicate with the access providing device than the secondary wireless communication device does, the communication controller implements control such that information delivered from the predetermined device is sent to the secondary wireless communication device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation value calculation program is configured to calculate the first evaluation value based on at least (i) a communicable time at which the wireless communication device was able to communicate with the access providing device, (ii) a number of communications with the access providing device, or (iii) an amount of communication data in a past predetermined time period. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation value calculation program is configured to calculate the first evaluation value based on at least (i) a communicable time at which the wireless communication device was able to communicate with the access providing device, (ii) a number of communications with the access providing device, or (iii) an amount of communication data in a past predetermined time period in an area corresponding to a current location of the wireless communication device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation value calculation program calculates the first evaluation value based on at least (i) a communicable time at which the wireless communication device can communicate with the access providing device, or (ii) an amount of communication data in a the future predetermined time period estimated based on a scheduled movement path of the wireless communication device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The wireless communication device according to claim 1, further comprising an evaluation value transmission program configured to transmit the first evaluation value calculated by the evaluation value calculation program to the secondary wireless communication device, wherein the evaluation value transmission program is configured to incorporate the first evaluation value into a control frame that notifies surroundings of a presence of the wireless communication device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The wireless communication device according to claim 7, wherein: a wireless communication system between the wireless communication device and the secondary wireless communication device is a wireless Local Area Network (LAN), and the evaluation value transmission program incorporates the first evaluation value into an Extended Service Set ID (ESSID) of a beacon. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The wireless communication device according to claim 8, wherein when the communication controller makes a determination based on the first evaluation value and the second evaluation value that the secondary wireless communication device has more opportunities to communicate with the access providing device than the wireless communication device does, and the wireless communication device retains information directed to the predetermined device, the communication controller establishes a wireless connection to the secondary wireless communication device and implements control such that the information directed to the predetermined device is sent to the secondary wireless communication device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The wireless communication device according to claim 8, wherein when the communication controller makes a determination based on the comparison between the first evaluation value and the second evaluation value that the wireless communication device has more opportunities to communicate with the access providing device than the secondary wireless device does, the communication controller functions as an access point, and when the communication controller makes a determination based on the comparison between the first evaluation value and the second evaluation value that the wireless communication device has less opportunity to communicate with the access providing device than the secondary wireless communication device does, the communication controller functions as a station. ### Claim 11 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a program stored therein for a wireless communication device that causes a computer to execute a process for wireless communication between the wireless communication device and an access providing device configured to provide access to a predetermined device, and with a secondary wireless communication device, the process comprising: calculating a first evaluation value based on at least an estimation of an opportunity for communication between the wireless communication device and the access providing device in a future predetermined time period; acquiring a second evaluation value for the secondary wireless communication device; and controlling communication between the wireless communication device and the secondary wireless communication device based on a comparison between the first evaluation value and the second evaluation value.