# US 12,603,683 B2 · Control apparatus having signal strength identification, method of controlling the same, and communication system

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- Number: US 12,603,683 B2
- Document ID: US12603683B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/645,537
- Filed: 2024-04-25
- Published: 2024-08-15
- Granted: 2026-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2019-04-24
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Eigoro Ina
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12603683B2

## CPC

- H04B 7/0617: {for beam forming}
- H04B 17/318: Received signal strength
- H04B 7/024: Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems
- Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE

## Abstract

An access point AP includes at least one memory that stores a set of instructions, and at least one processor that executes the instructions to obtain a first communication quality between another AP and a station STA and a second communication quality between the AP and the STA, and communicate with the STA by using joint beamforming, JB, in coordination with the other AP in a case where a difference between the first communication quality and the second communication quality does not exceed a first threshold value.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An access point AP, comprising:
at least one memory that stores a set of instructions; and
at least one processor that executes the instructions to:
obtain a first communication quality between another AP and a station STA and a second communication quality between the AP and the STA; and
communicate with the STA by using joint beamforming, JB, in coordination with the other AP in a case where a difference between the first communication quality and the second communication quality does not exceed a first threshold value,
wherein the communication between the AP and the STA is wireless communication based on standards of IEEE 802.11 series.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The AP according to claim 1, wherein
the instructions are further executed to communicate with the STA by not using JB in a case where the difference exceeds the first threshold value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The AP according to claim 1, wherein
the instructions are further executed to communicate with the STA by not using JB in a case where one of the first communication quality and the second communication quality exceeds a second threshold value.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The AP according to claim 1, wherein
the instructions are further executed to notify the other AP of information indicating whether or not to use JB.

### Claim 5

A method of controlling an access point AP, the method comprising:
obtaining a first communication quality between another AP and a station STA and a second communication quality between the AP and the STA; and
communicating with the STA by using joint beamforming, JB, in coordination with the other AP in a case where a difference between the first communication quality and the second communication quality does not exceed a first threshold value,
wherein the communication between the AP and the STA is wireless communication based on standards of IEEE 802.11 series.

### Claim 6

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program making a computer execute a method of controlling an access point AP, the method comprising:
obtaining a first communication quality between another AP and a station STA and a second communication quality between the AP and the STA; and
communicating with the STA by using joint beamforming JB in coordination with the other AP in a case where a difference between the first communication quality and the second communication quality does not exceed a first threshold value,
wherein the communication between the AP and the STA is wireless communication based on standards of IEEE 802.11 series.

### Claim 7

A control apparatus comprising:
at least one memory that stores a set of instructions; and
at least one processor that executes the instructions to:
obtain a first communication quality between a first access point AP and a station STA and a second communication quality between a second AP and the STA; and
notify the first AP and the second AP of information indicating that joint beamforming, JB, in which the first AP and the second AP operate in cooperation with each other, is to be used in a case where a difference between the first communication quality and the second communication quality does not exceed a first threshold value,
wherein the communication between the AP and the STA is wireless communication based on standards of IEEE 802.11 series.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein
the instructions are further executed to notify the first STA and the second STA of information indicating that JB is not to be used in a case where the difference exceeds the first threshold value.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein
the instructions are further executed to notify the first STA and the second STA of information indicating that JB is not to be used in a case where one of the first communication quality and the second communication quality exceeds a second threshold value.

### Claim 10

A method of controlling a control apparatus, the method comprising:
obtaining a first communication quality between a first access point AP and a station STA and a second communication quality between a second AP and the STA; and
notifying the first AP and the second AP of information indicating that joint beamforming, JB, in which the first AP and the second AP operate in cooperation with each other, is to be used in a case where a difference between the first communication quality and the second communication quality does not exceed a first threshold value,
wherein the communication between the first AP and the STA and the communication between the second AP and the STA are wireless communication based on standards of IEEE 802.11 series.

### Claim 11

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program making a computer execute a method of controlling a control apparatus, the method comprising:
obtaining a first communication quality between a first access point AP and a station STA and a second communication quality between a second AP and the STA; and
notifying the first AP and the second AP of information indicating that joint beamforming JB, in which the first AP and the second AP operate in cooperation with each other, is to be used in a case where a difference between the first communication quality and the second communication quality does not exceed a first threshold value,
wherein the communication between the first AP and the STA and the communication between the second AP and the STA are wireless communication based on standards of IEEE 802.11 series.