Patent ID: 8892030

Claim:
A wireless communication apparatus configured to operate selectively as a master station or as a remote station in a wireless network, comprising: a processor configured to operate as: a management unit configured to manage one or more remote devices, which operate as remote stations in a particular wireless network, when the wireless communication apparatus operates as the master station in the particular wireless network; and an operation control unit configured to continue the operation of the wireless communication apparatus as the master station, when the wireless communication apparatus operates as the master station in the particular wireless network, until a continuation period elapses when the number of remote devices to be managed is zero, wherein the continuation period begins at a time when the number of remote devices to be managed becomes zero, wherein, if the number of remote devices to be managed becomes one or more before the continuation period elapses, the operation control unit is configured to continue the operation of the wireless communication apparatus as the master station in the particular wireless network, even after a lapse of the continuation period, and wherein, if the number of remote devices to be managed remains zero until the continuation period elapses, the operation control unit is configured to stop the operation of the wireless communication apparatus as the master station after the lapse of the continuation period.