Wireless communication apparatus

1. A wireless communication apparatus in which a first wireless communication using one first channel of two first channels each having a first bandwidth, and a second wireless communication using a second channel having a second bandwidth wider than the first bandwidth and having a band overlapping those of the two first channels are performed, comprising:

a selection unit configured to select a Basic Service Set (BSS) operational mode for a BSS on the basis of a load amount of the other first channel of the two first channels;

a generation unit configured to generate a management frame indicating the BSS operational mode selected by the BSS mode selection unit;

a transmission unit configured to transmit the management frame;

a carrier sense unit configured to determine idle/busy information of the other first channel or the second channel; and

a load amount measurement unit configured to measure a load amount of the other first channel or the second channel on the basis of the idle/busy information, wherein

the selection unit selects, as the BSS operational mode, one of the BSS modes that is a first BSS mode in which a frame is transmitted by the first wireless communication, a second BSS mode in which a centralized control station alternately switches between a first communication period for performing the first wireless communication and a second communication period for performing the second wireless communication, or a third BSS mode in which a frame is transmitted by either the first wireless communication or the second wireless communication.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the load amount measurement unit includes a first measurement unit configured to measure an interference signal intensity on the other first channel, and a second measurement unit configured to measure an duration receiving interference or interference reception frequency on the other first channel or the second channel on the basis of the idle/busy information, and

the selection unit selects the BSS operational mode on the basis of at least one of the interference signal intensity, the duration receiving interference or the interference reception frequency, and the types of terminals existing in the BSS.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the load amount measurement unit acquires information on the number of terminals of an other BSS from a received frame, and

the selection unit selects the BSS operational mode on the basis of one of or both the information on the number of terminals of the other BSS and the types of terminals existing in the BSS.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the selection unit selects the first BSS mode when only terminals for performing the first wireless communication exist in the BSS, and selects the second BSS mode when at least one terminal supporting the second BSS mode exists in the BSS.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the load amount measurement unit includes a first measurement unit configured to measure an interference signal intensity on the other first channel, and a second measurement unit configured to measure duration receiving interference or interference reception frequency on the other first channel or the second channel on the basis of the idle/busy information, and

the selection unit:

selects the first BSS mode when only terminals for performing the first wireless communication exist in the BSS;

compares the duration receiving interference or the interference reception frequency and the interference signal intensity with thresholds when at least one terminal for performing the second wireless communication exists in the BSS;

selects the second BSS mode when the duration receiving interference or the interference reception frequency and the interference signal intensity are larger than predetermined thresholds; and

selects the third BSS mode when the duration receiving interference or the interference reception frequency or the interference signal intensity is smaller than the threshold.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the load amount measurement unit acquires information on the number of terminals of an other BSS on the basis of a received frame, and

the selection unit:

selects the first BSS mode when only terminals for performing the first wireless communication exist in the BSS;

further compares the information on the number of terminals of the other BSS acquired by the load amount measurement unit with a predetermined threshold when at least one terminal for performing the second wireless communication exists in the BSS;

selects the second BSS mode when the information on the number of terminals of the other BSS is larger than the threshold; and

selects the third BSS mode when the information on the number of terminals of the other BSS is smaller than the threshold.

7. A wireless communication apparatus in which a first wireless communication using one first channel of two first channels each having a first bandwidth, and a second wireless communication using a second channel having a second bandwidth wider than the first bandwidth and having a band overlapping those of the two first channels are performed, comprising:

a selection unit configured to select a Basic Service Set (BSS) operational mode for a BSS on the basis of a load amount of the other first channel of the two first channels;

a generation unit configured to generate a management frame indicating the BSS operational mode selected by the BSS mode selection unit;

a transmission unit configured to transmit the management frame;

a throughput measurement unit configured to measure throughput in the BSS, wherein

the selection unit compares the throughput measured by the throughput measurement unit with a threshold function or throughput measured in the past, and selects the BSS operational mode on the basis of one of or both the comparison result and the types of terminals existing in the BSS.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the selection unit:

selects a first BSS mode in which a frame is transmitted by the first wireless communication when terminals for performing only the first wireless communication exist in the BSS;

further compares the throughput measured by the throughput measurement unit with a predetermined threshold or the throughput measured in the past when terminals for performing the second wireless communication exist in the BSS;

selects a second BSS mode in which a centralized control station alternately switches the period from/to a first communication period in which the first wireless communication is performed to/from a second communication period in which the second wireless communication is performed when the measured throughput is larger than the threshold or the throughput measured in the past; and

selects a third BSS mode in which a frame is transmitted by one of the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication when the throughput measured by the throughput measurement unit is smaller than the threshold or the throughput measured in the past.

9. A wireless communication apparatus in which a first wireless communication using one first channel of two first channels each having a first bandwidth, and a second wireless communication using a second channel having a second bandwidth wider than the first bandwidth and having a band overlapping those of the two first channels are performed, comprising:

a selection unit configured to select a Basic Service Set (BSS) operational mode for a BSS on the basis of a load amount of the other first channel of the two first channels;

a generation unit configured to generate a management frame indicating the BSS operational mode selected by the BSS mode selection unit;

a transmission unit configured to transmit the management frame;

a frame analysis unit configured to acquire terminal information indicating an ability of an other terminal by analyzing a received frame; and

a terminal information storage unit configured to store the terminal information, wherein

the selection unit refers to the terminal information storage unit, and selects the BSS operational mode on the basis of one of or both the types of terminals existing on the other first channel and the number of terminals.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the selection unit:

selects a first BSS mode in which a frame is transmitted by the first wireless communication when only terminals for performing the first wireless communication exist in the BSS;

refers to the terminal information storage unit when terminals for performing the second wireless communication exist in the BSS;

selects a second BSS mode in which a centralized control station alternately switches the period from/to a first communication period in which the first wireless communication is performed to/from a second communication period in which the second wireless communication is performed when the number of terminals supporting the second BSS mode is larger than a predetermined threshold, and

selects a third BSS mode in which a frame is transmitted by one of the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication when the number of terminals supporting the second BSS mode is smaller than the threshold.