Wireless communication equipment and communication system having automatic switching capability between relayed transmission/direct transmission

• US 5,898,690 A
• Filed: 06/14/1996
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Masashi, Oda
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US08/665,205
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 370/315, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/403, 370/335, 370/338, 370/342, 370/349, 370/310, 370/441, 370/328, 455/11.1, 455/422
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A wireless communication equipment includes a transmission destination information managing unit for managing transmission destination information specifying a respective actual transmission destinations when transmitting to other wireless communication equipments, and a transmitting/receiving unit for transmitting/receiving information for an associated application and information for managing switching between direct transmission and relayed transmission with other wireless communication equipments, to and from other wireless communication equipments based on the transmission destination information. Transmission destination information managing unit manages transmission destination information dynamically, in cooperation with the transmitting/receiving unit. The transmission destination information is updated to perform direct transmission and relayed transmission when direct transmission is possible and impossible, respectively. Each wireless communication equipment determines process to be performed in accordance with identification codes indicating transmission destination and transmission source of data, transmission destination and transmission source of a signal or a packet as well as other information, and relays the signal if necessary.

Claims

1. A wireless communication equipment used in a communication system including a plurality of such wireless communication equipment, where said plurality of wireless commmunication equipment are allotted with unique identification codes respectively in advance, said wireless communication equipment comprising:

transmission destination information managing means for managing transmission destination information for specifying actual transmission destination wireless communication equipment at the time of transmission to other said wireless communication equipments,

transmitting/receiving means for transmitting to/receiving from other wireless communication equipments information of associated application and information for managing switching between direct transmission and relayed transmission with other wireless communication equipments, based on transmission destination information managed by said transmission destination information managing means;

wherein said transmission destination information managing means manages dynamically said transmission destination information in cooperation with said transmitting/receiving means;

wherein said transmission destination information managing means includes;

transmission destination information storing means for holding identification codes of other wireless communication equipments and respective identification codes of actual transmission destination wireless communication equipments when information is to be transmitted to respective other wireless communication equipments, and

updating means for dynamically updating the identification codes of said actual transmission destination wireless communication equipments within said transmission destination information storing means, based on information for managing switching between direct transmission and relayed transmission with other wireless communication equipments applied from said transmitting/receiving means;

wherein said transmitting/receiving means includes;

transmitting means for transmitting a signal referring to said transmission destination information storing means,

receiving means for receiving signals from other said wireless communication equipment,

first detecting means for detecting that direct transmission with a specific other wireless communication equipment using said transmitting/receiving means becomes impossible,

inquiry signal transmitting means responsive to said first detecting means for transmitting an inquiry signal to other said wireless communication equipments,

wherein said other wireless communication equipments each having a function of transmitting an answer signal to said wireless communication equipment when direct transmission with said specific other wireless communication equipment is possible, in response to the inquiry signal, and

means responsive to said answer signal for applying an identification code of transmission source of said answer signal to said managing means; and

wherein said updating means includes means for updating the identification code of the actual transmission destination when information is to be transmitted to said other specific wireless communication equipment in said transmission destination information storing means, with the transmission source identification code of said answer signal.

2. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 1, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means further includes means for transmitting, when a signal destined to said wireless communication equipment is received from another said wireless communication equipment, a reception response signal to said another wireless communication equipment by using said transmitting means, and

said first detecting means includes means for determining, when a reception response signal from a wireless communication equipment to which a signal has been directly transmitted by using said transmitting means is not received by said receiving means within a prescribed time period, that direct transmission of said signal by said transmitting means becomes impossible.

3. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 1, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means further includes

determining means responsive to reception of an inquiry signal related to a specific wireless communication equipment from another said wireless communication equipment, for determining whether direct transmission to said specific wireless communication equipment is possible by referring to said transmission destination storing means, and

answering means for transmitting, when it is determined by said determining means that direct transmission with said specific wireless communication equipment is possible, an answer signal in response to received said inquiry signal to said another wireless communication equipment.

4. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 3, wherein

the inquiry signal related to said specific wireless communication equipment includes

a type code indicating that the signal is an inquiry signal,

an identification code of said specific wireless communication equipment, and

an identification code of the wireless communication equipment which is a transmission source of said inquiry signal.

5. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 4, wherein

said determining means includes

means responsive to said inquiry signal for looking up an identification code of actual transmission destination corresponding to the identification code of said specific wireless communication equipment, from said transmission destination information storing means, and

means for determining whether said identification code specifying the actual transmission destination looked up by said look up means matches the identification code of said specific wireless communication equipment.

6. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 1, wherein

the signal transmitting between said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes data, a data transmission source identification code, a data transmission destination identification code, a signal transmission source identification code indicating last transmission source of the signal and a signal transmission destination identification code indicating actual transmission destination of the signal,

said transmitting means transmits the identification code of said wireless communication equipment as the signal transmission source identification code of the signal to be transmitted, looks up and transmits the identification code of the wireless communication equipment corresponding to said data transmission destination identification code from said transmission destination information storing means, as the signal transmission destination identification code, and

said transmitting means further transmits, for a signal generated in said wireless communication equipment, the identification code of the data transmission destination as the data transmission destination identification code of the signal to be transmitted, and the identification code of said wireless communication equipment as the data transmission source identification code, respectively.

7. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 6, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means further includes

transfer means responsive to reception of a signal having the identification code of said wireless communication equipment as the signal transmission destination identification code and an identification code different from the identification code of said wireless communication equipment as the data transmission destination identification code from another wireless communication equipment, for transferring received said signal by using said transmitting means.

8. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 6, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means further includes

second detecting means for detecting that a signal to be transmitted from a first other wireless communication equipment to said wireless communication equipment through a second other wireless communication equipment can be directly received by said wireless communication equipment, and

means responsive to said second detecting means for transmitting a relay cancelling signal with respect to said wireless communication equipment, to said first other wireless communication equipment.

9. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 8, wherein

said second detecting means includes means for detecting reception of a signal having the identification code of said second other wireless communication equipment as the signal transmission destination identification code, and the identification code of said wireless communication equipment as the data transmission destination identification code.

10. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 6, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means further includes relay cancelling signal detecting means responsive to reception of a relay cancelling signal with respect to another wireless communication equipment from said another wireless communication equipment for applying the data destination source identification code of said relay canceling signal to said updating means, and

said updating means further includes means for updating, when said data transmission source identification code is received from said relay cancelling signal detecting means, said transmission destination information storing means such that the actual signal transmission destination identification code for said another wireless communication equipments specified by the data transmission destination identification code of said relay cancelling signal is the data transmission source identification from said relay canceling signal detecting means.

11. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 1, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means further includes

means for repeating transmission of the inquiry signal by said inquiry signal transmitting means and direct transmission of the signal by said transmission means, until an answer signal or a reception response signal is received.

12. A wireless communication equipment used in a communication system including a plurality of such wireless communication equipment, where said plurality of wireless commmunication equipment are allotted with unique identification codes respectively in advance, said wireless communication equipment comprising:

transmission destination information managing means for managing transmission destination information for specifying actual transmission destination wireless communication equipment at the time of transmission to other said wireless communication equipments;

transmitting/receiving means for transmitting to/receiving from other wireless communication equipments information of associated application and information for managing switching between direct transmission and relayed transmission with other wireless communication equipments, based on transmission destination information managed by said transmission destination information managing means;

wherein said transmission destination information managing means manages dynamically said transmission destination information in cooperation with said transmitting/receiving means,

wherein said transmitting/receiving means performs communications using a packet;

wherein said transmission destination information managing means includes;

transmission destination information storing means for holding identification codes of other wireless communication equipments and respective identification codes of respective actual transmission destination wireless communication equipments when information is to be transmitted to respective other wireless communication equipments, and

updating means for updating dynamically the identification codes of said actual transmission destination wireless communication equipments in said transmission destination information storing means, in cooperation with said transmitting/receiving means;

wherein said transmitting/receiving means includes;

transmitting means for transmitting a packet referring to said transmission destination information storing means,

receiving means for receiving the packet,

first detecting means for detecting that direct transmission with another specific wireless communication equipment using said transmitting/receiving means becomes impossible,

inquiry packet transmitting means responsive to said first detecting means for transmitting an inquiry packet related to said another specific wireless communication equipment to other wireless communication equipments,

wherein said other wireless communication equipments each having a function of transmitting an answer packet to said wireless communication equipment when direct transmission with said another specific wireless communication equipment is possible in response to the inquiry packet, and

means responsive to said answer packet for applying an identification code of a transmission source of said answer packet to said managing means; and

wherein said updating means includes means for updating the identification code of actual transmission destination when information is to be transmitted to said another specific wireless communication equipment, in said transmission destination information storing means, with the transmission source identification code of said answer packet.

13. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 12, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means further includes means for transmitting, when a packet destined to said wireless communication equipment is received from another wireless communication equipment, a reception response packet to said another wireless communication equipment by using said transmission means, and

said first detecting means includes means for determining, when a reception response packet from a wireless communication equipment to which a packet is directly transmitted by using said transmitting means is not received by said receiving means within a prescribed time period, that direct transmission of said packet by said transmitting means becomes impossible.

14. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 12, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means further includes

determining means responsive to reception of an inquiry packet related to a specific wireless communication equipment from another wireless communication equipment, for determining whether nor not direct transmission to said specific wireless communication equipment is possible, by referring to said transmission destination information storing means, and

answering means for transmitting, when it is determined by said determining means that direct transmission with said specific wireless communication equipment is possible, an answer packet in response to received said inquiry packet to said other wireless communication equipment.

15. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 14, wherein

the inquiry packet related to said specific wireless communication equipment includes

a type code indicating that the packet is an inquiry packet,

an identification code of said specific wireless communication equipment, and

an identification code of wireless communication equipment which is the transmission source of said inquiry packet.

16. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 15, wherein

said determining means includes

means responsive to said inquiry packet for looking up an identification code of an actual transmission destination corresponding to the identification code of said specific wireless communication equipment, from said transmission destination information storing means, and

means for determining whether said identification code specifying the actual transmission destination looked up by said look up means matches the identification code of said specific wireless communication equipment.

17. The wireless communication system according to claim 12, wherein

a packet transmitted between said plurality of wireless communication systems includes data, a data transmission source identification code, a data transmission destination identification code, a packet transmission source identification code indicating a last transmission source of the packet, and a packet transmission destination identification code indicating an actual transmission destination of the packet,

said transmitting means transmits the identification code of said wireless communication system as the packet transmission source identification code of the packet to be transmitted, and looks up and transmits an identification code of a wireless communication equipment corresponding to said data transmission destination identification code from said transmission destination information storing means as the packet transmission destination identification code, and

said transmitting means further transmits an identification code of data transmission destination as the data transmission destination identification code, and transmits the identification code of said wireless communication equipment as the data transmission source identification code, for a packet generated in said wireless communication equipment.

18. The wireless communication system according to claim 17, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means further includes

transfer means responsive to reception of a packet having the identification code of said wireless communication equipment as the packet transmission destination identification code and an identification code different from the identification code of said wireless communication equipment as data transmission destination identification code from other wireless communication equipment, for transferring received said packet by using said transmitting means.

19. The wireless communication system according to claim 17, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means further includes

second detecting means for detecting that a packet to be transmitted to said wireless communication system from a first other wireless communication equipment through a second other wireless communication equipment can be directly received by said wireless communication equipment, and

means responsive to said second detecting means for transmitting a relay cancelling packet related to said wireless communication equipment, to said first other wireless communication equipment.

20. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 19, wherein

said second detecting means includes means for detecting reception of a packet having an identification code of said second other wireless communication equipments as a packet transmission destination identification code, and the identification code of said wireless communication equipment as the data transmission destination identification code.

21. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 17, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means further includes relay cancelling packet detecting means responsive to reception of a relay cancelling packet related to said another wireless communication equipment from said another wireless communication equipment, for applying the data transmission source identification code of received said relay cancelling packet to said updating means, and

said updating means further includes means for updating said transmission destination information storing means such that when said data transmission source identification code is received from said relay cancelling packet detecting means, the actual packet transmission destination identification code for the wireless communication equipment specified by the data transmission destination identification code of the received said relay cancelling packet is the data transmission source identification code from said relay cancelling packet detecting means.

22. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 12, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means further includes means for repeating transmission of the inquiry packets by said inquiry packet transmitting means and direct transmission of the packets by said transmitting means, until an answer packet or a reception response packet is received.

23. A wireless communication system including a plurality of wireless communications equipments, each of said plurality of wireless communications equipments performs wireless communication with each of said plurality of wireless commmunication equipments for associated application means, respectively, and where said plurality of wireless communication equipments are allotted with unique identification codes respectively in advance;

wherein each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes;

transmission destination information managing means for managing transmission destination information specifying actual transmission destination wireless communication equipment when performing transmission to other wireless communication equipments,

transmitting/receiving means for transmitting/receiving information for said application means and information for managing switching between direct transmission and relayed transmission with other wireless communication equipments, to and from other wireless communication equipments based on the transmission destination information managed by said transmission destination information managing means, and

wherein said transmission destination information managing means dynamically managing said transmission destination information in cooperation with said transmitting/receiving means;

wherein said transmission destination information managing means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes;

transmission destination information storing means for holding identification code of other wireless communication equipments and respective identification codes of actual transmission destination wireless communication equipments when information is to be transmitted to respective other wireless communication equipments, and

updating means for updating dynamically the identification codes of said actual transmission destination wireless communication equipments in said transmission destination information storing means, based on information for managing switching between direct transmission and relayed transmission with other wireless communication equipments;

wherein said transmitting/receiving means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes;

transmitting means for transmitting a signal referring to said transmission destination information storing means,

receiving means for receiving signals from other said wireless communication system,

first detecting means for detecting that direct transmission with other specific wireless communication equipment by using said transmitting/receiving means becomes impossible,

inquiry signal transmitting means responsive to said first detecting means for transmitting an inquiry signal related to said other specific wireless communication equipment to other wireless communication equipments,

wherein said other wireless communication equipments having a function of transmitting, in response to the inquiry signal, an answer signal to said wireless communication equipment when direct transmission with said other specific wireless communication equipment is possible, and

means responsive to said answer signal for applying an identification code of transmission source of said answer signal to said managing means; and

wherein said updating means includes means for updating an identification code of actual transmission destination when information is to be transmitted to said other specific wireless communication equipment, in said transmission destination information storing means with the transmission source identification code of said answer signal.

24. The wireless communication system according to claim 23, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments further includes

means for transmitting, when a signal destined to said wireless communication equipment is received from another wireless communication equipment, a reception response signal to said another wireless communication equipment by using said transmission means, and

said first detecting means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes means for determining, when said receiving means does not receive the reception response signal from a wireless communication equipment to which a signal is directly transmitted by using said transmitting means within a prescribed time period, that direct transmission of said signal by said transmitting means becomes impossible.

25. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 23, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes

determining means responsive to reception of an inquiry signal related to a specific wireless communication equipment from other wireless communication equipments, for determining whether direct transmission to said specific wireless communication equipment is possible by referring to said transmission destination information storing means, and

answering means for transmitting, when it is determined by said determining means that direct transmission with said specific wireless communication equipment is possible, for transmitting an answer signal in response to received said inquiry signal to said other wireless communication equipments.

26. The wireless communication system according to claim 25, wherein

the inquiry signal related to said specific wireless communication equipment includes

a type code indicating that the signal is an inquiry signal,

an identification code of said specific wireless communication equipment, and

an identification code of a transmission source wireless communication equipment of said inquiry signal.

27. The wireless communication system according to claim 26, wherein

said determining means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes

means responsive to said inquiry signal for looking up an actual transmission destination identification code corresponding to the identification code of said specific wireless communication equipment from said transmission destination information storing means, and

means for determining whether said identification code specifying the actual transmission destination looked up by said look up means matches the identification code of said specific wireless communication equipment.

28. The wireless communication system according to claim 23, wherein

a signal transmitted between said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes data, a data transmission source identification code, a data transmission destination identification code, a signal transmission source identification code indicating a last transmission source of the signal, and a signal transmission destination identification code indicating an actual transmission destination of the signal,

said transmitting means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments transmits said identification code of said wireless communication equipment as the signal transmission source identification code of the signal to be transmitted, and looks up and transmits an identification code of the wireless communication equipment corresponding to said data transmission destination identification code from said transmission destination information storing means, as the signal transmission destination identification code, and

said transmitting means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments transmits, for a signal generated in said wireless communication equipment, an identification code of the data transmission destination as the data transmission destination identification code of the signal to be transmitted, and the identification code of said wireless communication equipment as said data transmission source identification code.

29. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 28, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments further includes

transfer means responsive to reception of a signal having the identification code of said wireless communication equipment as the signal transmission destination identification code and an identification code different from the identification code of said wireless communication equipment as data transmission destination identification code, from other wireless communication equipment, for transferring received said signal by using said transmitting means.

30. The wireless communication equipment, according to claim 28, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes

second detecting means for detecting that a signal to be transmitted to said wireless communication equipment from a first other wireless communication equipment to a second other wireless communication equipment can be received directly by said wireless communication equipment, and

means responsive to said second detecting means for transmitting a relay cancelling signal related to said wireless communication equipment to said first other wireless communication equipment.

31. The wireless communication system according to claim 30, wherein

said second detecting means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes means for detecting reception of a signal having an identification code of said second other wireless communication equipment as a signal transmission destination identification code, and the identification code of said wireless communication equipment as the data transmission destination identification code.

32. The wireless communication system according to claim 28, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments include relay cancelling signal detecting means responsive to reception of a relay cancelling signal related to another wireless communication equipments from said another wireless communication equipment, for applying the data transmission source identification code of said relay cancelling signal to said updating means, and

said updating means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes means for updating, when said data transmission source identification code is received by said relay cancelling signal detecting means, said transmission destination information storing means such that the actual signal transmission destination identification code for said another wireless communication equipments specified by the data transmission destination identification code of said relay cancelling signal is the data transmission source identification code from said relay cancelling signal detecting means.

33. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 23, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes means for repeating transmission of an inquiry signal by said inquiry signal transmitting means and direct transmission of a signal by said transmitting means until an answer signal or a reception response signal is received.

34. A wireless communication system including a plurality of wireless communications equipments, each of said plurality of wireless communications equipments performs wireless communication with each of said plurality of wireless commmunication equipments for associated application means, respectively, and where said plurality of wireless communication equipments are allotted with unique identification codes respectively in advance;

wherein each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes;

transmission destination information managing means for managing transmission destination information specifying actual transmission destination wireless communication equipment when performing transmission to other wireless communication equipments,

transmitting/receiving means for transmitting/receiving information for said application means and information for managing switching between direct transmission and relayed transmission with other wireless communication equipments, to and from other wireless communication equipments based on the transmission destination information managed by said transmission destination information managing means,

wherein said transmission destination information managing means dynamically managing said transmission destination information in cooperation with said transmitting/receiving means, and

wherein said transmitting/receiving means performs communication by using a packet;

wherein said transmission information managing means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipment includes;

transmission destination information storing means for holding identification codes of other wireless communication equipments and respective identification codes of actual transmission destination wireless communication equipments when information is to be transmitted to respective other wireless communication equipments, and

updating means for updating dynamically the identification codes of said actual transmission destination wireless communication equipments in said transmission destination information storing means, in cooperation with said transmitting/receiving means;

wherein said transmitting/receiving means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes;

transmitting means for transmitting a packet by referring to said transmission destination information storing means,

receiving means for receiving the packet,

first detecting means for detecting that direct transmission with another specific wireless communication equipment using said transmitting/receiving means becomes impossible,

inquiry packet transmitting means responsive to said first detecting means for transmitting an inquiry packet related to said another specific wireless communication equipment to other wireless communication equipments,

wherein said other wireless communication equipments having a function of transmitting, responsive to an inquiry packet, an answer packet to said wireless communication equipment when direct transmission with said another specific wireless communication equipment is possible, and

means responsive to said answer packet for applying an identification code of transmission source of said answer packet to said managing means; and

wherein said updating means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes means for updating the identification code of actual transmission destination when information is to be transmitted to said another specific wireless communication equipment, in said transmission destination information storing means, with transmission source identification code of said answer packet.

35. The wireless communication system according to claim 34, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments further includes means for transmitting, when a packet destined to said wireless communication equipment is received from another wireless communication equipment, for transmitting a reception response packet to said another wireless communication equipment by using said transmitting means, and

said first detecting means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes means for determining, when a reception response packet from the wireless communication equipment to which the packet has been directly transmitted by using said transmitting means is not received by said receiving means within a prescribed time period, that direct transmission of said packet by said transmitting means becomes impossible.

36. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 34, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes

determining means responsive to reception of an inquiry packet related to a specific wireless communication equipment from another wireless communication equipment, for determining whether or not direct transmission to said specific wireless communication equipment is possible by referring to said transmission destination information storing means, and

answering means for transmitting, when it is determined by said determining means that direct transmission to said specific wireless communication equipment is possible, an answer packet in response to received said inquiry packet to said another wireless communication equipment.

37. The wireless communication system according to claim 36, wherein

the inquiry packet related to said specific wireless communication equipment includes

a type code indicating that the packet is an inquiry packet,

an identification code of said specific wireless communication equipment, and

an identification code of a transmission source wireless communication equipment of said inquiry packet.

38. The wireless communication equipment according to claim 37, wherein

said determining means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes

means responsive to said inquiry packet for looking up an identification code of an actual transmission destination corresponding to the identification code of said specific wireless communication equipment from said transmission destination information storing means, and

means for determining whether said identification code specifying the actual transmission destination looked up by said look up means matches the identification code of said specific wireless communication equipment.

39. The wireless communication system according to claim 34, wherein

a packet transmitted between said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes data, a data transmission source identification code, a data transmission destination identification code, a packet transmission source identification code indicating a last transmission source of the packet, and a packet transmission destination identification code indicating an actual transmission destination of the packet,

said transmitting means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments transmits the identification code of said wireless communication equipment as the packet transmission source identification code of a packet to be transmitted, and looks up and transmits the identification code of the wireless communication equipment corresponding to said data transmission destination identification code from said transmission destination information storing means, as the packet transmission destination identification code, and

said transmitting means of said plurality of wireless communication equipments transmits, for a packet generated in said wireless communication equipments, the identification code of the data transmission destination as data transmission destination identification code, and the respective identification code of said wireless communication equipments as the data transmission source identification code.

40. The wireless communication system according to claim 39, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments further includes transfer means responsive to reception of a packet having the identification code of said wireless communication equipments as the packet transmission destination identification code and an identification code different from the identification code of said wireless communication equipments as the data transmission destination identification code, for transferring received said packet by using said transmitting means.

41. The wireless communication system according to claim 39, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes

second detecting means for detecting that a packet to be transmitted to said wireless communication equipment from a first other wireless communication equipment through a second other wireless communication equipments can be directly received by said wireless communication equipment, and

means responsive to said second detecting means for transmitting a relay cancelling packet related to said wireless communication equipment, to said first other wireless communication equipment.

42. The wireless communication system according to claim 41, wherein

said detecting means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipment includes means for detecting reception of a packet having an identification code of said second other wireless communication equipment as the packet transmission destination identification code and the identification code of said wireless communication equipment as the data transmission destination identification code.

43. The wireless communication system according to claim 39, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments includes a relay cancelling packet detecting means responsive to reception of a relay cancelling packet related to another wireless communication equipments from said another wireless communication equipment, for applying the data transmission source identification code of received said relay cancelling packet to said updating means, and

said updating means further includes means for updating, when said data transmission source identification code is received from said relay cancelling packet detecting means, said transmission destination information storing means such that the actual packet transmission destination identification code of the wireless communication equipment specified by the data transmission destination identification code of received said relay cancelling packet is the data transmission source identification code from said relay cancelling packet detecting means.

44. The wireless communication system according to claim 34, wherein

said transmitting/receiving means of each of said plurality of wireless communication equipments further includes means for repeating transmission of an inquiry packet by said inquiry packet transmitting means and direct transmission of the packet by said transmitting means until an answer packet or a reception response packet is received.