| US 7,515,897 B2 | ||
| Communication apparatus | ||
| Tomoyuki Suzuki, Machida (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo (Japan) | ||
| Filed on Sep. 20, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/946,527. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 2003-422901 (JP), filed on Dec. 19, 2003. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2005/0143046 A1, Jun. 30, 2005 | ||
| Int. Cl. H04B 1/16 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 455—343.2 [455/11.1; 455/41.1; 455/410; 455/456.1; 370/244; 370/338; 370/349; 368/10; 368/47] | 10 Claims |
| 1. A communication apparatus for use as a terminal in a communication network including a plurality of terminals, wherein
one of the plurality of terminals acts as a master and at least one other one of the plurality of terminals acts as a slave
to execute communication between the terminals, the communication apparatus comprising:
detection means for detecting a first signal that is sent from the terminal acting as the master;
halt means for halting the detection means upon non-detection of the first signal during a first time period;
transmission means for transmitting a second signal in order to inquiry or page the terminals;
start means for causing the transmission means to start transmission of the second signal, upon passage of a second time period
from the halt of the detection means;
request means for issuing a request for a master/slave role switch to a given one of the terminals that responds to the second
signal transmitted by the transmission means; and
switch means for executing the master/slave role switch upon acceptance of the request.
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