Wireless network communication control apparatus and network system

A wireless network communication control apparatus which performs connection control of wireless network clients by using first classification addresses thereof, comprising:

• a first classification address storing unit which stores the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients as its own connection control information;
• an inquiry data receiving unit which receives inquiry data transmitted from another wireless network communication control apparatus connected via a network;
• a reply data transmitting unit which transmits reply data containing the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients retrieved from said first classification address storing unit, to said other wireless network communication control apparatus in response to said inquiry data received by said inquiry data receiving unit;
• a second classification address storing unit which stores the second classification address of a particular wireless network communication control apparatus connected via said network;
• an inquiry data transmitting unit which, based on said second classification address stored in said second classification address storing unit, transmits inquiry data to said particular wireless network communication control apparatus at predetermined intervals of time;
• and
• a reply data receiving unit which receives reply data transmitted from said particular wireless network communication control apparatus that received said inquiry data transmitted by said inquiry data transmitting unit, and which stores in said first classification address storing unit the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients contained in said reply data.

A wireless network communication control apparatus which performs connection control of wireless network clients by using first classification addresses thereof, comprising:

• a first classification address storing unit which stores the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients as its own connection control information;
• an inquiry data receiving unit which receives inquiry data transmitted from another wireless network communication control apparatus connected via a network;
• and
• a reply data transmitting unit which transmits reply data containing the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients retrieved from said first classification address storing unit, to said other wireless network communication control apparatus in response to said inquiry data received by said inquiry data receiving unit.

A wireless network communication control apparatus which performs connection control of wireless network clients by using first classification addresses thereof, comprising:

• a first classification address storing unit which stores the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients as its own connection control information;
• a second classification address storing unit which stores the second classification address of a particular wireless network communication control apparatus connected via a network;
• an inquiry data transmitting unit which, based on said second classification address stored in said second classification address storing unit, transmits inquiry data to said particular wireless network communication control apparatus at predetermined intervals of time;
• and
• a reply data receiving unit which receives reply data transmitted from said particular wireless network communication control apparatus that received said inquiry data transmitted by said inquiry data transmitting unit, and which stores in said first classification address storing unit the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients contained in said reply data.

In a network system containing a plurality of wireless network communication control apparatuses which perform connection control of wireless network clients by using first classification addresses thereof, a method for setting up connection control information in said wireless network communication control apparatuses, wherein

• at least one of said wireless network communication control apparatuses carries out:
• (a) receiving inquiry data transmitted from another one of said wireless network communication control apparatuses connected via a network;
• and
• (b) transmitting reply data to said other wireless network communication control apparatus in response to said inquiry data received in (a), said reply data containing the first classification addresses retrieved from a first classification address storing unit in which the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients are stored as its own connection control information, and
• said other wireless network communication control apparatus carries out:
• (c) transmitting said inquiry data to a particular one of said wireless network communication control apparatuses connected via said network, based on a second classification address stored in a second classification address storing unit which stores the second classification address of said particular wireless network communication control apparatus;
• and
• (d) receiving said reply data transmitted from said particular wireless network communication control apparatus that received said inquiry data transmitted in (c), and storing the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients contained in said reply data into a first classification address storing unit which stores the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients as its own connection control information.

A network system containing a plurality of wireless network communication control apparatuses which perform connection control of wireless network clients by using first classification addresses thereof, wherein

• one of said wireless network communication control apparatuses comprises:
• a first classification address storing unit which stores the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients as its own connection control information;
• and
• a notification data broadcast unit which broadcasts notification data at predetermined intervals of time to all terminals connected to a network, said notification data containing the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients retrieved from said first classification address storing unit, and wherein
• each of the other wireless network communication control apparatuses comprises:
• a first classification address storing unit which stores the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients as its own connection control information;
• and
• a notification data receiving unit which receives said notification data broadcast from said one wireless network communication control apparatus, and which stores in said first classification address storing unit the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients contained in said notification data.

In a network system containing a plurality of wireless network communication control apparatuses which perform connection control of wireless network clients by using first classification addresses thereof, a method for setting up connection control information in said wireless network communication control apparatuses, wherein

• one of said wireless network communication control apparatuses carries out:
• broadcasting notification data at predetermined intervals of time to all terminals connected to a network, said notification data containing the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients retrieved from a first classification address storing unit in which the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients are stored as its own connection control information, and
• each of the other wireless network communication control apparatuses carries out:
• receiving said notification data broadcast from said one wireless network communication control apparatus, and storing the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients contained in said notification data into a first classification address storing unit which stores the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients as its own connection control information.

A program executable on a wireless network communication control apparatus that performs connection control of wireless network clients by using first classification addresses thereof, wherein said program causes said wireless network communication control apparatus to implement the functions of:

• a first classification address storing unit which stores the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients as its own connection control information;
• an inquiry data receiving unit which receives inquiry data transmitted from another wireless network communication control apparatus connected via a network;
• a reply data transmitting unit which transmits reply data containing the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients retrieved from said first classification address storing unit, to said other wireless network communication control apparatus in response to said inquiry data received by said inquiry data receiving unit;
• a second classification address storing unit which stores the second classification address of a particular wireless network communication control apparatus connected via said network;
• an inquiry data transmitting unit which, based on said second classification address stored in said second classification address storing unit, transmits inquiry data to said particular wireless network communication control apparatus at predetermined intervals of time;
• and
• a reply data receiving unit which receives reply data transmitted from said particular wireless network communication control apparatus that received said inquiry data transmitted by said inquiry data transmitting unit, and which stores in said first classification address storing unit the first classification addresses of said wireless network clients contained in said reply data.