US 7,586,894 B2
Communication system capable of selecting optimum gateway for terminals
Hidenori Aoki, Yokohama (Japan); Shinji Takeda, Yokohama (Japan); Kengo Yagyu, Yokohama (Japan); and Narumi Umeda, Yokohama (Japan)
Assigned to NTT DoCoMo, Inc., Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Feb. 17, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/59,685.
Claims priority of application No. 2004-044632 (JP), filed on Feb. 20, 2004.
Prior Publication US 2005/0195795 A1, Sep. 08, 2005
Int. Cl. H04J 3/24 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 370—349  [370/395.31] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wireless communication apparatus configured to form a network with other wireless communication apparatuses, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:
an information collection unit configured to collect route information on states of routes between the wireless communication apparatus and respective connection apparatuses, each of the connection apparatuses connecting the network and another network, and connection apparatus information on the connection apparatuses;
a storage unit configured to store the route information and the connection apparatus information collected by said information collection unit;
a selection unit configured to select one of the connection apparatuses optimum for a terminal apparatus bases on the route information and the connection apparatus information stored in said storage unit; and
a route control unit configured to routes transmission of data from the terminal apparatus to the one of the connection apparatuses selected by said selection unit, wherein
said selection unit is further configured to determined, in response to receipt of a packet from the terminal apparatus, the packet including an identifier of a first connection apparatus as a destination, wherein the first connection apparatus satisfies a predetermined condition, based on the route information and the connection apparatus information stored in said storage unit; and
said route control unit is further configured to change the identifier included in the packet to the identifier of a second connection apparatus that satisfies the predetermined condition based on the determination made by said selection unit.