Communication device searching method, communication device, and ad hoc network system

A communication device constituting an ad hoc network communicable using a plurality of channels, the communication device comprising:

• a searching request unit configured to transmit a searching request addressed to a communication device being a searching destination using a plurality of channels without waiting for a reply to the searching request;
• an inquiry unit configured to transmit an inquiry to an adjacent communication device using a plurality of channels about whether a reply to the searching request transmitted by the searching request unit has been received from the searching destination;
• a reply unit configured to, upon receiving the searching request transmitted from another communication device and when the received searching request is addressed to an own communication device, transmit a reply to the received searching request in a manner including an instruction that the reply is held in a communication device adjacent to a searching source;
• a relay unit configured to, upon receiving the searching request transmitted from another communication device and when the received searching request is not addressed to the own communication device, relay the received searching request;
• and
• a holding unit configured to, upon receiving the reply to the searching request relayed by the relay unit from the searching destination and when the own communication device is a communication device adjacent to the searching source, hold the received reply.

An ad hoc network system that searches for a communication device constituting an ad hoc network communicable using a plurality of channels, the ad hoc network system comprising:

• a first communication device corresponding to a searching source that searches for a communication device;
• a second communication device corresponding to a communication device adjacent to the first communication device;
• and
• a third communication device corresponding to a searching destination, wherein
• the first communication device includes:
• a searching request unit configured to transmit a searching request addressed to the third communication device using a plurality of channels without waiting for a reply to the searching request, and
• an inquiry unit configured to transmit an inquiry to the second communication device using a plurality of channels about whether a reply to the searching request transmitted by the searching request unit has been received from the third communication device;
• the third communication device includes:
• a reply unit configured to, upon receiving the searching request transmitted by the searching request unit and when the received searching request is addressed to an own communication device, transmit a reply to the received searching request in a manner including an instruction that the reply is held in the second communication device;
• and
• the second communication device includes:
• a relay unit configured to, upon receiving the searching request transmitted by the searching request unit and when the received searching request is not addressed to the own communication device, relay the received searching request, and
• a holding unit configured to, upon receiving the reply to the searching request relayed by the relay unit from the third communication device, hold the received reply.