Wireless communication system, a wireless communication apparatus, a wireless communication method, and a computer program

Abstract

A wireless communication system of the invention comprises a plurality of communication stations decentralized-autonomously construct a network without having a relation between a control station and a station to be controlled under a communication circumstance where a plurality of channels are prepared. In this case, each of the communication stations prepares a plurality of operation modes for activating transmitting and receiving operations, informs the own operation mode, and receives information regarding operation modes of peripheral stations to manage its operation mode of each of the peripheral stations.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A communication apparatus configured to perform wireless communication in a network including at least another communication apparatus, the communication apparatus comprising:
 circuitry configured to: a transmitting and receiving unit configured to operate in one of at least three active modes, the three at least three active modes including at least two low power consumption operation modes and a continuous receiving operation mode concerning low power consumption operation, each of the at least three active levels modes specifying a condition for operation of the receiving unit a transmitter or receiver of the communication apparatus,   wherein at a first active mode of the at least three active modes, which is one of the at least two low power consumption operation modes, the transmitting and receiving unit circuitry is configured to perform control a transmission or reception operation for a designated time period after the transmission of the a beacon signal;   at a second active mode of the at least three active modes, which is one of the at least two low power consumption operation modes, the transmitting and receiving unit circuitry is configured to perform control a transmission or reception operation to occur for a designated time period after the transmission of the beacon signal and at a timing different from after the transmission of the beacon signal,   at a third active mode of the at least three active modes, which is the continuous receiving operation mode, the transmitting and receiving unit circuitry is configured to perform control a transmission or reception operation during an entire time period to occur at least continuously between at least two subsequent transmissions of the beacon signal beacon signals,   
 the transmitting and receiving unit circuitry is configured to transmit control transmission of own active modes mode information and receive active modes information from the another communication apparatus, and 
 the transmitting and receiving unit circuitry is configured to transmit control transmission of a data signal to the another communication apparatus based on the active modes information of the another communication apparatus own active mode information. 
 
     
     
       2. The communication apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication apparatus further comprises:
 a management unit configured to manage the active modes information of the another communication apparatus, wherein the active modes information of the another communication apparatus includes transmitting active modes information and receiving active modes information circuitry is further configured to determine a timing of a transmission operation to be a timing of when a reception operation of the another communication apparatus is active. 
 
     
     
       3. The communication apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication apparatus further comprises:
 a management unit configured to manage active modes information of a plurality of other communication apparatus, by setting a different active mode to each of the other communication apparatusa storage device that stores a current active mode of the another communication apparatus. 
 
     
     
       4. A method implemented on a communication apparatus configured to perform wireless communication in a network including at least another communication apparatus, the method comprising:
 operating, at a transmitting and receiving unit configured, in one of at least three active modes concerning low power consumption operation, each of the at least three active levels specifying a condition for operation of the receiving unit, 
 performing, when the transmitting and receiving unit is operating at a first active mode of the at least three active modes, a reception operation for a designated time period after the transmission of the beacon signal; 
 performing, when the transmitting and receiving unit is operating at a second active mode of the at least three active modes, a reception operation for a designated time period after the transmission of the beacon signal and at a timing different from after the transmission of the beacon signal, 
 performing, when the transmitting and receiving unit is operating at a third active mode of the at least three active modes, a transmission or reception operation during an entire time period between subsequent transmissions of the beacon signal, 
 transmitting, at the transmitting and receiving unit, own active modes information and receive active modes information from the another communication apparatus, and 
 transmitting, at the transmitting and receiving unit, a signal based on the active modes information of the another communication apparatus 
 operating, by circuitry of the communication apparatus, in one of at least three active modes, the three at least three active modes including at least two low power consumption operation modes and a continuous receiving operation mode, each of the at least three active modes specifying a condition for operation of a transmitter or receiver of the communication apparatus, 
 wherein at a first active mode of the at least three active modes, which is one of the at least two low power consumption operation modes, the circuitry controlling a transmission or reception operation for a designated time period after a beacon signal; 
 at a second active mode of the at least three active modes, which is one of the at least two low power consumption operation modes, the circuitry controlling a transmission or reception operation to occur for a designated time period after the beacon signal and at a timing different from after the beacon signal, 
 at a third active mode of the at least three active modes, which is the continuous receiving operation mode, the circuitry is configured to control a transmission or reception operation to occur at least continuously between at least two subsequent beacon signals, 
 controlling, by the circuitry, transmission of own active mode information and control reception of active mode information from the another communication apparatus, 
 and controlling, by the circuitry, transmission of a data signal to the another communication apparatus based on the active mode information of the another communication apparatus. 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising
 managing the active modes information of the another communication apparatus, wherein the active modes information of the another communication apparatus includes transmitting active modes information and receiving active modes information 
 determining, by the circuitry, a timing of a transmission operation to be a timing of when a reception operation of the another communication apparatus is active. 
 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 managing the active modes information of a plurality of other communication apparatuses, by setting a different active mode to each of the other communication apparatuses 
 storing, by a storage device, a current active mode of the another communication apparatus. 
 
     
     
       7. A communication system for wireless communication in a network including a plurality of communication apparatuses, the communication system comprising:
 a first communication apparatus, including:
 circuitry configured to:
 operate in one of at least three active modes, the three at least three active modes including at least two low power consumption operation modes and a continuous receiving operation mode, each of the at least three active modes specifying a condition for operation of a transmitter or receiver of the first communication apparatus, 
 wherein at a first active mode of the at least three active modes, which is one of the at least two low power consumption operation modes, the circuitry is configured to control a transmission or reception operation for a designated time period after a beacon signal; 
 at a second active mode of the at least three active modes, which is one of the at least two low power consumption operation modes, the circuitry is configured to control a transmission or reception operation to occur for a designated time period after the beacon signal and at a timing different from after the beacon signal, 
 at a third active mode of the at least three active modes, which is the continuous receiving operation mode, the circuitry is configured to control a transmission or reception operation to occur at least continuously between at least two subsequent beacon signals, 
   
 a transmitting and receiving unit configured to operate in one of at least three active modes concerning low power consumption operation, each of the at least three active levels specifying a condition for operation of the receiving unit, 
 wherein at a first active mode of the at least three active modes, the transmitting and receiving unit is configured to perform a reception operation for a designated time period after the transmission of the beacon signal; 
 at a second active mode of the at least three active modes, the transmitting and receiving unit is configured to perform a reception operation for a designated time period after the transmission of the beacon signal and at a timing different from after the transmission of the beacon signal, 
 at a third active mode of the at least three active modes, the transmitting and receiving unit is configured to perform a transmission or reception operation during an entire time period between subsequent transmissions of the beacon signal, 
 a second communication apparatus, including:
 circuitry configured to:
 a transmitting and receiving unit configured to operate in one of the first active mode, the second active mode, and the third active mode when not operating in a sleep state, 
 
 
 wherein circuitry of the first communication apparatus is configured to control transmission of own active mode information and control reception of active mode information from the second communication apparatus, 
 and the circuitry of the first communication apparatus is configured to control transmission of a data signal to the second communication apparatus based on the active mode information of the second communication apparatus 
 wherein the transmitting and receiving unit of the first communication apparatus is configured to transmit own active modes information to the second communication apparatus and receive active modes information from the second communication apparatus, and 
 the transmitting and receiving unit of the first communication apparatus is configured to transmit a signal based on the active modes information of the second communication apparatus. 
 
     
     
       8. The communication system according to  claim 7 , wherein the circuitry of the first communication apparatus further comprises:
 a management unit configured to manage the active modes information of the second communication apparatus, wherein the active modes information of the second to communication apparatus includes transmitting active modes information and receiving active modes information is further configured to determine a timing of a transmission operation to be a timing of when a reception operation of the second communication apparatus is active. 
 
     
     
       9. The communication system according to  claim 7 , wherein the first communication apparatus further comprises:
 a management unit configured to manage active modes information of a plurality of other communication apparatus, by setting a different active mode to each of the other communication apparatus 
 a storage device that stores a current active mode of the second communication apparatus. 
 
     
     
       10. A communication apparatus configured to perform wireless communication in a network including at least another communication apparatus, the communication apparatus comprising:
 circuitry configured to:
 operate in one of at least three active modes, the three at least three active modes including at least two low power consumption operation modes and a continuous receiving operation mode, each of the at least three active modes specifying a condition for operation of a transmitter or receiver of the communication apparatus, 
 wherein at a first active mode of the at least three active modes, which is one of the at least two low power consumption operation modes, the circuitry is configured to control a transmission or reception operation for a designated time period after a beacon signal; 
 at a second active mode of the at least three active modes, which is one of the at least two low power consumption operation modes, the circuitry is configured to control a transmission or reception operation to occur for a designated time period after the beacon signal and at a timing different from after the beacon signal, 
 at a third active mode of the at least three active modes, which is the continuous receiving operation mode, the circuitry is configured to control a transmission or reception operation to occur at least continuously between at least two subsequent beacon signals, 
   the circuitry is configured to control reception of active mode information from the another communication apparatus,   and the circuitry is configured to control transmission of a data signal to the another communication apparatus based on the active mode information of the another communication apparatus.   
     
     
       11. The communication apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine a timing of a transmission operation to be a timing of when a reception operation of the another communication apparatus is active. 
     
     
       12. The communication apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the communication apparatus further comprises:
 a storage device that stores a current active mode of the another communication apparatus.