Patent ID: 7818014
Filing Date: 2010-10-19
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. An access point for a wireless communication system which comprises wireless communication means for wireless communications with wireless stations and which relays communications between the wireless stations and other stations, comprising: load detecting means for detecting communication load values of communications currently in progress with the wireless stations; transmission directing means for instructing the wireless communication means to transmit a first communication load value detected by the load detecting means; and determination means for determining whether the first communication load value is larger than a first predetermined value and, if the first communication load value is larger than the first predetermined value, whether a second communication load value detected by the load detecting means a predetermined time after the first communication load value is transmitted by the wireless communication means is larger than a second predetermined value, wherein, if the determination means determines that the second communication load value is larger than the second predetermined value, the transmission directing means instructs the wireless communication means to transmit a warning output command instructing the wireless stations to output a warning to move from current locations in order to maintain the communications currently in progress, wherein the wireless stations comprise the wireless communication means for wireless communication with the access point, and wherein each of the wireless stations comprises: electromagnetic wave intensity detecting means for detecting intensity of electromagnetic waves received from the access point by the wireless communication means; switchover assessing means for determining whether to switch to another access point by a predetermined method, based on the electromagnetic wave intensity and communication load value of a currently connected access point and the electromagnetic wave intensity and communication load value of the other access point; switching means for switching to the other access point if the switchover assessing means determines to switch to the other access point; and warning means for producing a warning output based on the warning output command if the wireless communication means receives the warning output command from the access point.