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SonyGranted patentNetworks & wirelessInterest 6/10

Sony patents router tech that predicts how local devices affect internet speed

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

Sony describes a communication device, such as a router, that manages both its main internet connection and local connections to devices like phones or laptops. The system checks if using a specific local connection interferes with the main internet signal. If interference is detected, it predicts how different combinations of local and main connections will perform to optimize data flow.

Why it mattersThis could help home networks automatically adjust settings to prevent slow internet speeds when many devices are connected locally.

In the filing’s own words

A communication apparatus includes a first communication unit, a second communication unit, and a control unit. The first communication unit performs wireless communication via an upper communication path. The second communication unit communicates with a terminal apparatus via a selected communication path that is one of a plurality of lower communication paths including a wireless communication path and a wired communication path. The control unit detects whether or not communication using the selected communication path has an effect on the upper communication path, and, when the effect is detected, estimates, for each combination of the plurality of lower communication paths and the upper communication path, a communication state of the upper communication path and the lower communication path included in the combination.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A communication apparatus, comprising: a central processing unit (CPU) configured to: control a first network interface to execute wireless communication via an upper communication path; control a second network interface to communicate with a terminal apparatus via specific lower communication path, wherein the specific lower communication path is selected from of a plurality of lower communication paths, and the plurality of lower communication paths includes at least a wireless communication path and a wired communication path; detect a dependence relationship between the upper communication and the specific lower communication path based on an effect on the upper communication path by the communication via the specific lower communication path; and estimate, based on the dependence relationship, for each combination of a plurality of combinations of the upper communication path and the plurality of lower communication paths, a communication state of the upper communication path and a corresponding lower communication path of the plurality of lower communication paths, wherein the plurality of combinations of the upper communication path and the plurality of lower communication paths includes: a first combination of the upper communication path with a first lower communication path of the plurality of lower communication paths; and a second combination of the upper communication path with a second lower communication path of the plurality of lower communication paths.

Facts

Company
Sony (SONY GROUP CORPORATION)
Official title
Communication apparatus and communication method
Patent number
US12764818B2
Application number
18548483
Filed
Mar 11, 2021
Granted
Oct 13, 2026
Inventors
3
Claims
13

Classified under

H04W 76/15 Electricity & electronicsH04W 36/14 Electricity & electronics

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.