Method and apparatus for allocating terminal identifiers based on communication function

A communication apparatus for allocating a terminal identifier to a destination communication apparatus and carrying out communication with the destination communication apparatus by utilizing a plurality of functions comprising:

• an identifier allocation section comprising circuitry for generating a plurality of terminal identifiers correlating a destination communication apparatus and a plurality of functions selected from the plurality of functions and used for communication and for allocating the terminal identifiers to the destination communication apparatus,
• wherein
• each terminal function identifier includes an area for temporarily identifying the destination communication apparatus, wherein
• said generating plurality of terminal identifiers comprises
• changing the size of address space for allocated terminal identifiers for the destination communication apparatus depending on determining which function is to be used among a plurality of functions by the communication apparatus on the basis of at least one of:
• the number of destination communication apparatuses to be connected, requested communication quality, and information received from the destination communication apparatus;
• and
• a transmission section includes at least one antenna for transmitting the terminal identifiers to the destination communication device and exchange data based on one of the allocated terminal identifiers.

A communication method to allocate a terminal identifier to a destination communication apparatus and to carry out communication with the destination communication apparatus by use of a plurality of functions comprises the steps of:

• generating different terminal identifiers, each identifying the destination communication apparatus and functions selected from the plurality of functions to be used for communication with the destination communication apparatus;
• and
• allocating said different terminal identifiers to the destination communication apparatus, such that the size of address space for allocated terminal identifiers for the destination communication apparatus changes depending on which function is to be used among a plurality of functions by the communication apparatus, the function chosen on the basis of at least one of:
• the number of destination communication apparatuses to be connected, requested communication quality, and information received from the destination communication apparatus,
• transmitting the terminal identifiers to the destination communication device and exchange data based on one of the allocated identifiers.

A communication apparatus for allocating identifiers to be used to identify destination communication apparatuses and communicating with the destination communication apparatuses using a plurality of functions comprising:

• a terminal identifier allocation section comprising circuitry for generating terminal identifiers:
• wherein each of the terminal identifiers is configured to identify correlation of a function included in the plurality of functions and identifiers for the destination communication apparatuses and for allocation of the terminal identifiers to the destination communication apparatuses, wherein said generating plurality of terminal identifiers comprises varying a ratio of the size of an area holding the function to the size of an area holding the identifiers for the destination communication addresses depending on which function is to be used among a plurality of functions by the communication apparatus determined on the basis of at least one of:
• the number of destination communication apparatuses to be connected, requested communication quality, and information received from the destination communication apparatus;
• and
• a transmission section which includes at least one antenna for transmitting the terminal identifiers to the destination communication device and exchange data based on one of the allocated terminal identifiers.