Communication method, communication system, and communication device

A communication system in which a first communication device performs wireless communications with communication devices residing in the vicinity of the first communication device, wherein

• said first communication device comprises:
• a wireless communication means capable of altering communication ranges at a plurality of stages to transmit,
• a transmission control means to transmit an inquiry message from said wireless communication means by having the communication ranges altered at the plurality of stages in order to discover other communication devices residing in the vicinity,
• a preservation means to preserve information relating to a receiving state or frequency of receipt of response messages from the respective communication ranges for each communication device which is a source device of said received response message, when the response messages to the transmitted inquiry message are received by said wireless communication means, and
• a connection means to select a communication device to be a connection object for wireless communications based on the information relating to the receiving state or the frequency of receipt of the response messages preserved in said preservation means;
• and
• other communication devices residing in the vicinity of said first communication device each comprise:
• a wireless communication means;
• and
• a control means to transmit a response message, when an inquiry message is received by said wireless communication means.

A communication apparatus to perform wireless communications with other communication devices residing in the vicinity thereof, comprising:

• a wireless communication means capable of altering communication ranges at a plurality of stages to transmit,
• a transmission control means to transmit an inquiry message from said wireless communication means by having the communication ranges altered at the plurality of stages in order to discover other communication devices residing in the vicinity,
• a preservation means to preserve information relating to a receiving state or frequency of receipt of response messages from the respective communication ranges for each communication device which is a source device of said received response message, when the response messages to the transmitted inquiry message are received by said wireless communication means, and
• a connection means to select a communication device to be a connection object for wireless communications based on the information relating to the receiving state or the frequency of receipt of the response messages preserved in said preservation means