Patent ID: 8005003
Filing Date: 2011-08-23
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
1. A transmission rate controlling apparatus that controls a transmission rate of data transmitted from a first communication unit which communicates with a second communication unit through a power line, comprising: a reception unit that receives a request signal including information corresponding to a transmission rate which is demanded from the second communication unit; a timeslot allocation unit that allocates a first timeslot on the basis of the request signal; an information acquisition unit that acquires transmission rate information indicating the transmission rate of data transmitted from the first communication unit to the second communication unit in the first timeslot allocated by the timeslot allocation unit; a timeslot modification unit that modifies the first timeslot allocated by the timeslot allocation unit on the basis of the transmission rate information acquired by the information acquisition unit, wherein the data is transmitted in the modified first timeslot; a packet convert unit that converts a multicast packet into a unicast packet, wherein the timeslot allocation unit further allocates a second timeslot, different from the first timeslot and the modified first timeslot, for transmitting the unicast packet; and a transmission unit that transmits the unicast packet to the first communication unit and the second communication unit via the power line.