Communication apparatus and communication method

Abstract

To provide an excellent communication apparatus and communication method which operates with a basic service set belonging to an extended service set. A wireless terminal transmits a frame in which BSS-color and ESS-color which respectively identify a BSS and an ESS to which the own wireless terminal belongs are described. Further, part of a region for storing ESS-color is used as a region for storing BSS-color to secure the number of pieces of BSS-color sufficient to avoid overlapping. An STA stores statistical information regarding a received frame in association with BSS-color and ESS-color and performs cooperative operation within the ESS or between the ESSs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication apparatus, comprising:
 a processor configured to:
 control transmission of a frame in which a first identifier and a second identifier are stored, wherein
 the first identifier identifies a first network group, 
 the communication apparatus belongs to the first network group, 
 the second identifier identifies a second network group, and 
 the first network group belongs to the second network group. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 1 , the processor is further configured to store the first identifier and the second identifier in a physical header of the frame. 
     
     
         3 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to store the second identifier in a first signal region in the physical header, in which the first identifier is stored. 
     
     
         4 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to store the second identifier in a region which is newly added in the first signal region. 
     
     
         5 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to store the second identifier in an existing region in the first signal region. 
     
     
         6 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the first signal region indicates storage of the second identifier in the existing region. 
     
     
         7 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to notify the second identifier based on storage of the second identifier in the existing region. 
     
     
         8 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the processor is further configured to store the second identifier in a second signal region in the physical header, and the second signal region is different from a first signal region in which the first identifier is stored.   
     
     
         9 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to extend the first identifier based on storage of a part of the first identifier in a part of a region that stores the second identifier. 
     
     
         10 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to control transmission of information for generation of a notification that indicates the extension. 
     
     
         11 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the extension of the first identifier is based on a number of first network groups that surrounds the first network group. 
     
     
         12 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to store the first identifier and the second identifier in the frame, wherein
 the first identifier is stored in a physical header of the frame,   the second identifier is stored in a region after the physical header, and   the region is decodable independently of a payload region.   
     
     
         13 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to store the first identifier and the second identifier in the frame, wherein
 the first identifier is stored in a physical header of the frame, and   the second identifier is stored in a payload region.   
     
     
         14 . A communication apparatus, comprising:
 a memory configured to store information regarding a received frame in which a first identifier and a second identifier are described, wherein
 the information regarding the received frame is stored in accordance with one of the first identifier or the second identifier, 
 the first identifier identifies a first network group, 
 the second identifier identifies a second network group, and 
 the first network group belongs to the second network group. 
   
     
     
         15 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising a processor configured to control transmission of the stored information of the received frame in accordance with the one of the first identifier or the second identifier. 
     
     
         16 . A communication apparatus, comprising:
 a processor configured to control reception of, from a subordinate wireless terminal, information regarding a received frame in which a first identifier and a second identifier are described, wherein
 the reception of the information regarding the received frame is in accordance with one of the first identifier or the second identifier, 
 the first identifier identifies a first network group, 
 the second identifier identifies a second network group, and 
 the first network group belongs to the second network group. 
   
     
     
         17 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute, based on the information received from the subordinate wireless terminal, cooperative operation with at least one of:
 a first communication apparatus of at least one of a plurality of first network groups included in the second network group, wherein the communication apparatus belongs to the at least one of the plurality of first network groups, or   a second communication apparatus within the second network group to which the communication apparatus does not belong.