Claims
[Claim 1] A wireless communication apparatus configuring a multi-hop network having a tree structure and repeating wake-up and sleep, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:
a network control unit to hold information on paths for transmitting data to other wireless communication apparatuses and generate a path control message including the information on paths; and
a wireless transmission/reception unit to, when a data request is received from an adjacent wireless communication apparatus from among the other wireless communication apparatuses, the data request indicating that the adjacent wireless communication apparatus has started up from sleep and requesting transmission of data, transmit the path control message generated by the network control unit to the adjacent wireless communication apparatus. [Claim 2] The wireless communication apparatus according to Claim 1,
wherein when the wireless transmission/reception unit does not hold data to be transmitted to the adjacent wireless communication apparatus at a time when receiving the data request from the adjacent wireless communication apparatus, the wireless transmission/reception unit transmits the path control message to which information is added, the information indicating that there is no data to be transmitted. [Claim 3] The wireless communication apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2,
wherein the network control unit counts a time elapsed from transmission of the path control message to the adjacent wireless communication apparatus, and
wherein when the time elapsed is smaller than a threshold value at a time when the data request is received from the adjacent wireless communication apparatus, the wireless transmission/reception unit does not transmit the path control message.

[Claim 4] The wireless communication apparatus according to Claim 3, comprising
an intermittent control unit to hold an intermittent control cycle of its own apparatus and perform intermittent control of its own apparatus,
wherein the network control unit sets the threshold value to a value that is n (n is a positive integer) times of the intermittent control cycle of its own apparatus. [Claim 5] A wireless communication method configuring a multi-hop network having a tree structure and repeating wake-up and sleep, the wireless communication method comprising:
a network control step to hold information on paths for transmitting data to other wireless communication apparatuses and generate a path control message including the information on paths; and
a wireless transmission/reception step to, when a data request is received from an adjacent wireless communication apparatus from among the other wireless communication apparatuses, the data request indicating that the adjacent wireless communication apparatus has started up from sleep and requesting transmission of data, transmit the path control message generated by the network control unit to the adjacent wireless communication apparatus.