Patent ID: 6118771
Filing Date: 2000-09-12
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
A communication system for controlling communications among a plurality of terminals, each terminal comprising:a first storage configured to store terminal identification data identifying at least one other terminal of the plurality of terminals as a communicable terminal capable of communicating with said each terminal;a second storage configured to store group information including group identification data identifying any formed group and group member identification data identifying the terminals constituting members of any formed group;a group operation unit configured to designate terminals to form each group so that each formed group includes said each terminal together with at least one other terminal identified as a communicable terminal by the terminal identification data stored in said first storage, to change membership of any formed group by adding a new terminal as a member or by removing a previously designated terminal from membership or to delete any formed group;a controller configured to respond to the group operation unit to update the group information in said second storage in accordance with group operation information generated when said group operation unit performs an operation;a first transmitter configured to transmit the group operation information to any other terminals that are members of a formed group together with the each terminal;a second transmitter configured to periodically transmit the group information stored in said second storage as periodical group information to at least a terminal which does not belong to a formed group; anda first receiver configured to receive group operation information from another terminal any other terminals belonging to a formed group and to provide the group operation information received from the first receiver to update the group information stored in the second storage in accordance with the received group operation information.