Patent ID: 8335179

Claim:
A terminal device, which is used in a communication system that conducts a communication by periodically switching a plurality of frequency channels in a predefined sequence, and which communicates with a control device that uses a predefined frequency channel of the plurality of frequency channels, the terminal device comprising: an antenna that conducts transmission and reception of a wireless signal; a reception section that receives, from the control device, via the antenna, a beacon that contains control information indicating at least a switching sequence and a switching timing of a frequency channel of the plurality of frequency channels; a transmission section that transmits transmission data to the control device via the antenna; a data volume determining section that determines whether or not it is possible to complete a transmission of the transmission data within an assigned period assigned to the terminal device to use the predefined frequency channel to conduct a communication with the control device; and a control section that controls, during the assigned period, a reception of the beacon by the reception section and a transmission of the transmission data by the transmission section, wherein, when the data volume determining section determines that it is not possible to complete the transmission of the transmission data within the assigned period, the control section (i) ascertains a frequency channel, of the plurality of frequency channels, that is to be used by another terminal device for a communication with the control device after the assigned period, based on the control information, (ii) switches to the ascertained frequency channel after the assigned period has elapsed, and (iii) controls the transmission section to continue the transmission of the transmission data using the ascertained frequency channel.