Wireless communication device and wireless communication method

A wireless communication device which communicates with a first wireless communication device, the first wireless communication device being capable of communicating with first terminals compliant with a first standard, second terminals compliant with a second standard and third terminals compliant with a third standard within a communication group formed by the first wireless communication device, the wireless communication device comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive, from the first wireless communication device, a first frame that is a MAC (Medium Access Control) frame to the first terminals, the second terminals and the third terminals, the first frame configured for notifying of operation information of the communication group and including a first field, and at least one of a second field and a third field, wherein
• a first bandwidth used by the first terminals is designated by the first field;
• a second bandwidth used by the second terminals is designated by a combination of the first field and the second field if the second field is present, and designated by the first field if the second field is not present,
• a third bandwidth used by the third terminals is designated by a combination of the first field and the third field if the third field is present, and designated by a combination of the first field and the second field if the third field is not present,
• controlling circuitry configured to control communication with the first wireless communication device, wherein
• interpretation of the first field is performed by the first terminals, second terminals and third terminals based on a first identifier accompanied with the first field identifiable by the first terminals, the second terminals, and the third terminals,
• interpretation of the second field is limited to the second terminals and the third terminals based on identification of a second identifier accompanied with the second field,
• interpretation of the third field is limited to the third terminals based on identification of a third identifier accompanied with the third field,
• the wireless communication device is one of the third terminals compliant with the third standard,
• the controlling circuitry is configured to interpret the third field in the first frame based on the third identifier accompanied with the third field to specify the third bandwidth used by the wireless communication device if the third field is present in the first frame, and interpret the second field in the first frame based on the second identifier accompanied with the second field to specify the third bandwidth used by the wireless communication device if the third field is not present in the first frame.

A wireless communication method performed in a wireless communication device which communicates with a first wireless communication device, the first wireless communication device being capable of communicating with first terminals compliant with a first standard, second terminals compliant with a second standard and third terminals compliant with a third standard within a communication group formed by the first wireless communication device, the wireless communication method comprising:

• receiving a first frame that is a MAC (Medium Access Control) frame to the first terminals, the second terminals and the third terminals from the first wireless communication device, the first frame is a frame for notification of operation information of the communication group and the first frame includes a first field, and at least one of a second field and a third field, wherein
• a first bandwidth that can be used by the first terminals is designated by the first field,
• a second bandwidth that can be used by the second terminals is designated by a combination of the first field and the second field if the second field is present, and designated by the first field if the second field is not present,
• a third bandwidth that can be used by the third terminals is designated by a combination of the first field and the third field if the third field is present, and designated by a combination of the first field and the second field if the third field is not present,
• controlling communication with the first wireless communication device, wherein
• interpretation of the first field can be performed by the first terminals, second terminals and third terminals based on a first identifier accompanied with the first field identifiable by the first terminals, the second terminals, and the third terminals,
• interpretation of the second field is limited to the second terminals and the third terminals based on identification of a second identifier accompanied with the second field,
• interpretation of the third field is limited to the third terminals based on identification of a third identifier accompanied with the third field, and
• the wireless communication device is one of the third terminals compliant with the third standard,
• interpreting the third field in the first frame based on the third identifier accompanied with the third field to specify the third bandwidth used by the wireless communication device if the third field is present in the first frame, and interpreting the second field in the first frame based on the second identifier accompanied with the second field to specify the third bandwidth used by the wireless communication device if the third field is not present in the first frame.