Patent ID: 7804804

Claim:
A wireless communication system in which a first beacon period is set at every predetermined period in a first network group and communication apparatuses in the first network group exchange beacon containing information concerning a network so as to form the first network group, the wireless communication system comprising: a communication apparatus in the first network group; a beacon generator generating a temporary beacon and a first beacon signal corresponding to a first beacon of the communication apparatus, the temporary beacon being separate from the first beacon; a beacon scan setting unit searching for an adjacent second network group having a second beacon period different from the first beacon period by transmitting the first beacon in a beacon scan; an authentication unit for authenticating the second network group to determine a type of connection to be formed between the communication apparatus and the second network group; and an application interface for using the first beacon and the temporary bacon to exchange data between the communication apparatus having the first beacon period and the second network group having the second beacon period without merging the first beacon period and the second beacon period into a single beacon period when the type of connection is determined to be an unsecure connection, wherein the application interface exchanges data between the communication apparatus and the second network group by merging the first beacon period and the second beacon period when the type of connection is determined to be a secure connection.