Communication device, communication system, communication method, and program

Abstract

When a terminal station receives a beacon in a channel f(i), it registers a MAC address included in the beacon in a registration table with an association with the channel f(i), then registers channels in which the same MAC address is registered, and the number of the channels in the registration table. By this processing, channels usable in a base station and the number of the channels usable are designated without need of adding, to a packet, information indicating the channels usable and the number of the channels usable.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall construction of a communication system according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal construction of a base station and a terminal station according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing channel assignment of the base station and the terminal station according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure of communication performed between the base station and the terminal station according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of designation processing in a terminal station according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram summarizing a registration table set in the terminal station according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing changes in the registration table set in the terminal station according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of designation processing in a base station according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram summarizing a registration table set in the base station according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing changes in the registration table set in the base station according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an overall construction of a communication system in a second embodiment;

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing channel assignment of a base station and a terminal station according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure of communication performed between the base station and the terminal station according to the second embodiment; and

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing changes in a registration table set in the base station according to the second embodiment.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising: a receiving unit configured to receive, by using multiple channels, a packet including an identifier to identify a transmitting source;an identifier registering unit configured to register the identifier included in the packet in a pre-specified storage area such that the registered identifier is associated with a channel through which the receiving unit receives the packet;a channel designating unit configured to designate, when the identifier is registered in the storage area, a channel, which the registered identifier is associated with, as a channel usable for communication with the transmitting source indicated by the registered identifier; anda channel counting unit configured to count, when the identifier is registered in the storage area, a number of channels, which the registered identifier is associated with, as a number of channels usable for communication with the transmitting source indicated by the registered identifier.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the identifier registering unit further registers (i) the channel usable designated by the channel designating unit and (ii) the number of channels usable counted by the channel counting unit, in the storage area such that the registered channel usable and the registered number of channels usable are associated with the registered identifier.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the identifier registering unit operates when the receiving unit receives the packet after a pre-specified time point.

4. The communication device of claim 3, further comprising: a transmitting unit configured to transmit a packet by using multiple channels,wherein the pre-specified time point is a time point when the transmitting unit transmits the packet.

5. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising: a channel switching unit configured to sequentially switch channels used by the receiving unit in a pre-specified order after a pre-specified time point.

6. The communication device of claim 5, further comprising: a transmitting unit configured to transmit a packet by using multiple channels,wherein the pre-specified time point is a time point when the transmitting unit transmits the packet.

7. A communication system comprising a base station and a terminal station that transmit and receive packets to and from each other, wherein at least one of the base station and the terminal station comprises the communication device of claim 1.

8. The communication system of claim 7, wherein the identifier registering unit operates when the receiving unit receives the packet after a pre-specified time point.

9. The communication system of claim 8, wherein the communication device further comprises: a transmitting unit configured to transmit a packet by using multiple channels,wherein the pre-specified time point is a time point when the transmitting unit transmits the packet.

10. The communication system of claim 7, wherein the communication device further comprises: a channel switching unit configured to sequentially switch channels used by the receiving unit in a pre-specified order after a pre-specified time point.

11. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the communication device further comprises: a transmitting unit configured to transmit a packet by using multiple channels,wherein the pre-specified time point is a time point when the transmitting unit transmits the packet.

12. A communication method comprising: receiving by using multiple channels a packet including an identifier to identify a transmitting source;registering the identifier included in the packet in a pre-specified storage area such that the registered identifier is associated with a channel through which the packet is received;designating, when the identifier is registered in the storage area, a channel, which the registered identifier is associated with, as a channel usable for communication with the transmitting source indicated by the registered identifier; andcounting, when the identifier is registered in the storage area, a number of channels, which the registered identifier is associated with, as a number of channels usable for communication with the transmitting source indicated by the registered identifier.

13. A computer program product in a computer-readable medium for use in a communication device including a receiving unit for receiving by using multiple channels a packet having an identifier to identify a transmitting source, the computer program product comprising instructions for: registering the identifier included in the packet in a pre-specified storage area such that the registered identifier is associated with a channel through which the receiving unit received the packet;designating, when the identifier is registered in the storage area, a channel, which the registered identifier is associated with, as a channel usable for communication with the transmitting source indicated by the registered identifier; andcounting, when the identifier is registered in the storage area, a number of channels, which the registered identifier is associated with, as a number of channels usable for communication with the transmitting source indicated by the registered identifier.