Wireless communication apparatus and method

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a wireless communication apparatus includes a determination unit, a first setting unit, a second setting unit and a wireless unit. The determination unit determines whether a signal degradation degree is higher than a threshold value. The first setting unit sets first parameters relating to a first data rate and a first communication robustness. The second setting unit sets second parameters relating to a second data rate and a second communication robustness if an instruction signal is received and if the signal degradation degree is higher than the threshold value. The wireless unit communicates with a communication partner using one of the first parameters and the second parameters.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A wireless communication apparatus, comprising:
 a determination unit configured to determine whether or not a signal degradation degree of a wireless communication is higher than a threshold value, the signal degradation degree indicating a degradation degree of a signal quality; 
 a first setting unit configured to set first parameters if communicating with a communication partner, the first parameters relating to a first data rate and a first communication robustness; 
 a timer configured to measure a time until an elapse of a first interval upon receiving one of an instruction signal from an upper layer and a close-proximity detection signal, the close-proximity detection signal indicating that the communication partner falls within a distance; 
 a second setting unit configured to set second parameters if the signal degradation degree is higher than the threshold value and if the time exceeds the first interval, the second parameters relating to a second data rate and a second communication robustness, the second data rate being lower than the first data rate, the second communication robustness being higher than the first communication robustness; and 
 a wireless unit configured to communicate with the communication partner using one of the first parameters and the second parameters, 
 wherein the timer measures a second interval upon detecting the close-proximity detection signal, and measures a third interval upon detecting the instruction signal, 
 if only the close-proximity detection signal is received, the timer sets the second interval as the first interval and measures the time, 
 if only the instruction signal is received, the timer sets the third interval as the first interval and measures the time 
 if both the close-proximity detection signal and the instruction signal are received, the timer sets the third interval as the first interval and measures the time, and 
 the timer sets the third interval greater than the second interval. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a third setting unit configured to set the threshold value, wherein the third setting unit sets a first threshold value to be lower than a second threshold value, the first threshold value being set if an antenna connected to the apparatus is built into the apparatus, the second threshold value being set if the antenna is built outside the apparatus. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a carrier frequency used in the wireless communication is in a millimeter waveband, and if an antenna is built into the apparatus, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) of 64-point fast Fourier transform (FFT) size is used one of the first parameters. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the timer sets the first interval such that the larger a predicted amount of data, the greater the first interval. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the timer sets the first interval according to at least one of a predicted amount of data and a transfer time. 
     
     
       6. A wireless communication method, comprising:
 determining whether or not a signal degradation degree of a wireless communication is higher than a threshold value, the signal degradation degree indicating a degradation degree of a signal quality; 
 first setting first parameters if communicating with a communication partner, the first parameters relating to a first data rate and a first communication robustness; 
 measuring a time until an elapse of a first interval upon receiving one of an instruction signal from an upper layer and a close-proximity detection signal, the close-proximity detection signal indicating that the communication partner falls within a distance; 
 second setting second parameters if the signal degradation degree is higher than the threshold value and if the time exceeds the first interval, the second parameters relating to a second data rate and a second communication robustness, the second data rate being lower than the first data rate, the second communication robustness being higher than the first communication robustness; and 
 communicating with the communication partner using one of the first parameters and the second parameters, wherein the measuring the time step comprises measuring a second interval upon detecting the close-proximity detection signal, measures a third interval upon detecting the instruction signal, 
 if only the close-proximity detection signal is received, the timer sets the second interval as the first interval and measures the time, 
 if only the instruction signal is received, the timer sets the third interval as the first interval and measures the time 
 if both the close-proximity detection signal and the instruction signal are received, the timer sets the third interval as the first interval and measures the time, and 
 the timer sets the third interval greater than the second interval. 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising third setting set the threshold value,
 wherein the third setting sets a first threshold value to be lower than a second threshold value, the first threshold value being set if an antenna connected to the apparatus is built into the apparatus, the second threshold value being set if the antenna is built outside the apparatus. 
 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein a carrier frequency used in the wireless communication is in a millimeter waveband, and if an antenna is built into the apparatus, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) of 64-point fast Fourier transform (FFT) size is used one of the first parameters. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the measuring the time sets the first interval such that the larger a predicted amount of data, the greater the first interval.