Communication apparatus, communication method, and computer-readable storage medium

A communication apparatus for transmitting data using a directional antenna, comprising:

• a first determination unit adapted to determine, for each of a plurality of receivers, transmitter antenna directivities with each of which it is possible to transmit a test signal to the receiver by communication by a main lobe;
• a second determination unit adapted to determine a combination of transmitter antenna directivities with which it is possible to transmit the test signal based on communications with a plurality of transmitter antenna directivities included in the transmitter antenna directivities determined by the first determination unit;
• a decision unit adapted to decide, based on reception qualities of the communications with transmitter antenna directivities included in the combination of transmitter antenna directivities, a combination of transmitter antenna directivities to be used to transmit data and a receiver as a reception target of the data;
• and
• a transmission unit adapted to transmit the data to the decided receiver with the combination of transmitter antenna directivities decided by the decision unit.

A communication method using a directional antenna 1, comprising:

• causing a first determination unit to determine, for each of a plurality of receivers, transmitter antenna directivities with each of which it is possible to transmit a test signal to the receiver as a partner receiver by communication by a main lobe;
• causing a second determination unit to determine, as a monitor receiver, for each of the transmitter antenna directivities determined in the causing the first determination unit, if the test signal is transmitted with the transmitter antenna directivity, a receiver capable of receiving the test signal by a side lobe appended to the main lobe;
• causing a decision unit to decide, based on reception quality in the partner receiver of the communication by the main lobe and reception quality in the monitor receiver of communication by the side lobe appended to the main lobe, a transmitter antenna directivity to be used to transmit data, and a partner receiver and monitor receiver as reception targets of the data out of the plurality of receivers;
• and
• causing a transmission unit to transmit the data to the decided partner receiver and monitor receiver with the transmitter antenna directivity decided in the causing the decision unit.

A communication method using a directional antenna, comprising:

• causing a first determination unit to determine, for each of a plurality of receivers, transmitter antenna directivities with each of which it is possible to transmit a test signal to the receiver by communication by a main lobe;
• causing a second determination unit to determine a combination of transmitter antenna directivities with which it is possible to transmit the test signal based on communications with a plurality of transmitter antenna directivities included in the transmitter antenna directivities determined in the causing the first determination unit;
• causing a decision unit to decide, based on reception qualities of the communications with transmitter antenna directivities included in the combination of transmitter antenna directivities, a combination of transmitter antenna directivities to be used to transmit data and a receiver as a reception target of the data;
• and
• causing a transmission unit to transmit the data to the decided receiver with the combination of transmitter antenna directivities decided in the causing the decision unit.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to function as each unit of a communication apparatus for transmitting data using a directional antenna, the communication apparatus comprising:

• a first determination unit adapted to determine, for each of a plurality of receivers, transmitter antenna directivities with each of which it is possible to transmit a test signal to the receiver as a partner receiver by communication by a main lobe;
• a second determination unit adapted to determine, as a monitor receiver, for each of the transmitter antenna directivities determined by the first determination unit, if the test signal is transmitted with the transmitter antenna directivity, a receiver capable of receiving the test signal by a side lobe appended to the main lobe;
• a decision unit adapted to decide, based on reception quality in the partner receiver of the communication by the main lobe and reception quality in the monitor receiver of communication by the side lobe appended to the main lobe, a transmitter antenna directivity to be used to transmit data, and a partner receiver and monitor receiver as reception targets of the data out of the plurality of receivers;
• and
• a transmission unit adapted to transmit the data to the decided partner receiver and monitor receiver with the transmitter antenna directivity decided by the decision unit.