Patent ID: 8817304

Claim:
A wireless communication device configured to be capable of operating selectively in any state among a plurality of states including a parent state performing as a parent station of a wireless network and a child state performing as a child station of the wireless network, the wireless communication device comprising: one or more processors; and a memory that stores a computer program including instructions executed by the one or more processors, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors, when executed by the one or more processors, to function as: a communication controlling unit configured to: receive a first type of signal including specific information from a first type of external device capable of operating selectively in any state among the plurality of states; and receive a second type of signal not including the specific information from a second type of external device incapable of operating selectively in any state among the plurality of states during a specific period for searching the first type of external device, the specific period including a first period and a second period, the first period being a period for receiving a Probe Request signal from the first type of external device so as to send a Probe Response signal to the first type of external device, the second period being a period for sending the Probe Request signal to the first type of external device so as to receive the Probe Response signal that is the first type of signal from the first type of external device, wherein the Probe Request signal that is the second type of signal is received from the second type of external device in the first period; a state determination unit configured to: determine in which of the parent state and the child state the wireless communication device is to operate in a case where the communication controlling unit receives the first type of signal; and determine the wireless communication device is to operate in the parent state in a case where the communication controlling unit receives the second type of signal; and an establishing controlling unit configured to: send a first wireless profile to a first external device so as to establish a wireless connection with the first external device by using the first wireless profile in a case where it is determined that the wireless communication device is to operate in the parent state; and receive a second wireless profile from a second external device so as to establish a wireless connection with the second external device by using the second wireless profile in a case where it is determined that the wireless communication device is to operate in the child state.