Communication system, communication apparatus, computer-readable storage medium having stored therein communication program, and communication method

A communication apparatus comprising:

• a transceiver configured to communicate with a plurality of other communication apparatuses including a first communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus;
• and
• a processing system that includes at least one processor that is coupled to the transceiver, the processing system configured to:
• switch a communication channel that is being used by the transceiver, during communication with at least the first apparatus that is using a non-search channel, from the non-search channel to a search channel which is different from the non-search channel;
• transmit, via the transceiver, a search request signal for searching for at least the second communication apparatus;
• switch the communication channel being used by the transceiver back to the non-search channel after a search reception enabled period has elapsed;
• receive, via the transceiver, a search response signal transmitted from at least the second communication apparatus that has received the search request signal, the search response signal being a response to the search request signal;
• and
• transmit, via the transceiver, information indicating the search reception enabled period in which at least the second communication apparatus can transmit the search response signal,
• wherein the processing system is further configured to execute a video game application program, where communication with at least the first apparatus includes communicating, via the transceiver, data related to the video game application program,
• wherein the search reception enabled period is a value such that the video game application data being updated between the communication apparatus and at least the first communication apparatus will not be disturbed when the communication channel is switched for the search reception enabled period.

A communication apparatus comprising:

• a transceiver configured to communicate with other communication apparatuses including a first communication apparatus;
• and
• a processing system that includes at least one processor that is coupled to the transceiver, the processing system configured to:
• receive, via the transceiver, a search request signal transmitted from another communication apparatus that has switched from a non-search channel over which the another communication apparatus is communicating with a further communication apparatus to a search channel that is different from the non-search channel;
• transmit, via the transceiver, a search response signal which is a response to the received search request signal to the another communication apparatus;
• and
• receive, from the another communication apparatus and via the transceiver, information indicating a transmission enabled period in which the search response signal can be transmitted to the another communication apparatus, after which the another communication apparatus switches from listening on the search channel to communicating upon the non-search channel,
• wherein the processing system is further configured to execute a video game application program, where communication with at least the first communication apparatus includes communicating, via the transceiver, data related performance of the video game application program,
• wherein the transmission enabled period is a value such that the performance of the video game application program with the first communication apparatus will not be disturbed when the communication channel is switched to the search channel for the transmission enabled period.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein a communication program for use with a communication apparatus, the communication apparatus including a processing system that includes at least one processor coupled to a transceiver, the communication program comprising instructions configured to cause the communication apparatus to:

• when the transceiver is being used to communicate with a first communication apparatus over a non-search communication channel, switch the transceiver to a search communication channel that is different from the non-search channel;
• transmit, via the transceiver and while the transceiver is switched to the search channel, a search request signal for searching for at least a second communication apparatus;
• switch from the search channel back to the non-search channel after a predetermined period of time has elapsed;
• accept, via the transceiver, the search response signal transmitted from at least the second communication apparatus that has received the search request signal, the search response signal being a response to the search request signal;
• transmit information indicating a transmission enabled period in which the communication apparatus will accept, via the transceiver listening on the search channel, the search response signal;
• execute a video game application program that communicates, via the transceiver and the non-search channel, data related to performance of the video game application program to at least the first communication apparatus,
• wherein the transmission enabled period is a value such that performance of the video game application program between the communication apparatus and at least the first communication apparatus will not be disturbed when the communication channel is switched to the search channel for the transmission enabled period.

A communication method performed in a communication system that includes a search communication apparatus that is communicating with a first communication apparatus and at least a second communication apparatus which is searched for by the search communication apparatus, the communication method comprising:

• when a transceiver of the search communication apparatus is communicating with the first communication apparatus by using a non-search channel, switching the transceiver to a search channel that is different from the non-search channel;
• transmitting, via the transceiver of the search communication apparatus, a search request signal over the search channel for searching for at least the second communication apparatus;
• switching the transceiver of the search communication apparatus from the search channel back to the non-search channel after a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the switch to the search channel;
• receiving, via a transceiver of the second communication apparatus, the search request signal transmitted from the search communication apparatus;
• transmitting, via the transceiver of the second communication apparatus, a search response signal which is a response to the received search request signal to the search communication apparatus;
• receiving, via the transceiver of the first communication apparatus, the search response signal;
• transmitting, via the transceiver of the first communication apparatus, information indicating a transmission enabled period in which the second communication apparatus can transmit the search response signal;
• and
• executing, on a processor of the search communication apparatus, a video game application program, where communication with at least the first apparatus includes communicating video game application data related to operation of the video game application program,
• wherein the transmission enabled period is a value such that the operation of the video game application program via communication of the video game application data will not result in disturbing operation of the video game application program when the communication channel is switched to the search channel for the transmission enabled period.