Near field communication discovery method, apparatus and system

• US 10,051,456 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2014
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Inventors: You, Shilin, Cai, Jiyan, Zong, Zaifeng, Liang, Shuang, Lin, Zhaoji, Peng, Jin, Li, Yang
• Primary Examiner(s): Ajayi, Joel
• Application Number:
  US15/503,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20170295484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 455434
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a near field communication discovery method, apparatus and system. Herein, the method includes: a discovery terminal receiving discovery information allocated by a network side to a discovered terminal, herein the discovery information includes a discovery identity, and the discovery information is transmitted by the network side to the discovered terminal; the discovery terminal performing paging or broadcasting using the discovery identity; and the discovery terminal receiving a response returned by the discovered terminal to determine that the discovered terminal is discovered.

Claims

1. A restrictive discovery method for a Device to Device service, comprising:

allocating, by a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) Function (PF) to which a discovered terminal belongs, discovery information comprising a discovery identity, to the discovered terminal;

transmitting, by the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs, the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal to a PF to which a discovery terminal belongs;

transmitting, by the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs, the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal to the discovered terminal;

transmitting, by the PF to which the discovery terminal belongs, the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal to the discovery terminal to indicate the discovery terminal to discover the discovered terminal using the discovery identity of the discovered terminal;

performing, by the discovery terminal, paging or broadcasting using the discovery identity of the discovered terminal, wherein a page message or a broadcast message transmitted by the discovery terminal carries the discovery identity of the discovered terminal; and

receiving, by the discovery terminal, a response returned by the discovered terminal in response to the page message or the broadcast message, and determining, by the discovery terminal, that the discovered terminal is discovered.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the discovery identity comprises the following information:

an operator identity corresponding to the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs, an identity of the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs, and a temporary identity allocated by the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs to a service identity of the discovered terminal.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the discovery information further comprises a validity period of the discovery identity,

or,

wherein the discovery information further comprises a service identity of the discovered terminal, which indicates that the discovery terminal can discover the discovered terminal.

4. A restrictive discovery method for a Device to Device service, comprising:

allocating, by a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) Function (PF) to which a discovered terminal belongs, discovery information comprising a discovery identity, to the discovered terminal;

transmitting, by the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs, the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal to a PF to which a discovery terminal belongs;

transmitting, by the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs, the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal to the discovered terminal;

transmitting, by the PF to which the discovery terminal belongs, the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal to the discovery terminal to indicate the discovery terminal to discover the discovered terminal using the discovery identity of the discovered terminal;

performing, by the discovery terminal, paging or broadcasting using the discovery identity of the discovered terminal, wherein a page message or a broadcast message transmitted by the discovery terminal carries the discovery identity of the discovered terminal;

receiving, by the discovered terminal, the page message or the broadcast message transmitted by the discovery terminal; and

determining, by the discovered terminal, that the discovery identity carried in the page message or the broadcast message is the same as the discovery identity received from the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs, and returning a page or broadcast response message to the discovery terminal to indicate that the discovery terminal discovers the discovered terminal.

5. The method according to claim 4,

wherein the discovery identity comprises the following information:

an operator identity corresponding to the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs, an identity of the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs, and a temporary identity allocated by the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs to a service identity of the discovered terminal.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the discovery information further comprises a validity period of the discovery identity,

or,

wherein the discovery information further comprises a service identity of the discovered terminal, which indicates that the discovery terminal can discover the discovered terminal.

7. A restrictive discovery processing method for a Device to Device service, comprising:

receiving, by a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) Function (PF) to which a discovered terminal belongs, a discovery request message transmitted by the discovered terminal;

allocating, by the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs, discovery information comprising a discovery identity to the discovered terminal;

transmitting, by the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs, the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal to a PF to which a discovery terminal belongs;

transmitting, by the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs, the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal to the discovered terminal; and

transmitting, by the PF to which the discovery terminal belongs, the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal to the discovery terminal, to indicate the discovery terminal to discover the discovered terminal using the discovery identity of the discovered terminal.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein before transmitting the discovery information to the discovery terminal and the discovered terminal, the method further comprises:

authenticating the discovered terminal and a friend list carried in the discovery request message, wherein the friend list at least comprises the discovery terminal; and

determining that the discovered terminal and the discovery terminal are located in a same location area.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the discovery information further comprises a validity period of the discovery identity,

or,

wherein the discovery information further comprises a service identity of the discovered terminal which indicates that the discovery terminal can discover the discovered terminal.

10. A restrictive discovery apparatus for a Device to Device service, the apparatus being comprised in a discovery terminal and comprising:

a first reception module, arranged to receive discovery information comprising a discovery identity of a discovered terminal from a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) Function (PF) to which the discovery terminal belongs, wherein the discovery information comprising the discovery identity is allocated by a PF to which the discovered terminal belongs to the discovered terminal, the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal is transmitted by the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs to the PF to which the discovery terminal belongs, and the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal is transmitted by the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs to the discovered terminal, and the PF to which the discovery terminal belongs transmits the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal to the discovery terminal to indicate the discovery terminal to discover the discovered terminal using the discovery identity of the discovered terminal;

a discovery module, arranged to perform paging or broadcasting using the discovery identity of the discovered terminal, wherein a page message or a broadcast message transmitted by the discovery terminal carries the discovery identity of the discovered terminal; and

a second reception module arranged to receive a response returned by the discovered terminal in response to the page message or the broadcast message, and determine that the discovered terminal is discovered.

11. A restrictive discovery apparatus for a Device to Device service, the apparatus being comprised in a discovered terminal and comprising:

a first reception module arranged to receive discovery information comprising a discovery identity allocated to the discovered terminal from a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) Function (PF) to which the discovered terminal belongs, wherein the discovery information comprising the discovery identity is allocated by the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs to the discovered terminal, the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal is transmitted by the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs to a PF to which a discovery terminal belongs, and the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal is transmitted by the PF to which the discovery terminal belongs to the discovery terminal to indicate the discovery terminal to discover the discovered terminal using the discovery identity of the discovered terminal;

a second reception module arranged to receive a page message or a broadcast message transmitted by the discovery terminal when the discovery terminal performs paging or broadcasting using the discovery identity of the discovered terminal, wherein the page message or the broadcast message carries the discovery identity of the discovered terminal;

a determination module arranged to determine that the discovery identity carried in the page message or the broadcast message is the same as the discovery identity received from the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs; and

a transmission module arranged to return a page or broadcast response message to the discovery terminal to indicate that the discovery terminal discovers the discovered terminal.

12. A restrictive discovery processing apparatus for a Device to Device service, the apparatus being comprised in a network side and comprising a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) Function (PF) to which a discovered terminal belongs, and a PF to which a discovery terminal belongs, wherein:

the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs is arranged to receive a discovery request message transmitted by the discovered terminal;

the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs is arranged to allocate discovery information comprising a discovery identity to the discovered terminal;

the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs is arranged to transmit the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal to the PF to which the discovery terminal belongs;

the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs is arranged to transmit the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal to the discovered terminal; and

the PF to which the discovery terminal belongs is arranged to transmit the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal to the discovery terminal, to indicate the discovery terminal to discover the discovered terminal using the discovery identity of the discovered terminal.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

an authentication module, arranged to authenticate the discovered terminal and a friend list carried in the discovery request message, wherein the friend list at least comprises the discovery terminal; and

a determination module arranged to determine that the discovered terminal and the discovery terminal are located in a same location area.

14. A near field communication discovery system, comprising:

a network side comprising the apparatus according to claim 12;

a discovery terminal, comprising a restrictive discovery apparatus for a Device to Device service, comprising;

a first reception module, arranged to receive discovery information comprising a discovery identity of a discovered terminal from a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) Function (PF) to which the discovery terminal belongs, wherein the discovery information comprising the discovery identity is allocated by a PF to which the discovered terminal belongs to the discovered terminal, the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal is transmitted by the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs to the PF to which the discovery terminal belongs, and the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal is transmitted by the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs to the discovered terminal, and the PF to which the discovery terminal belongs transmits the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal to the discovery terminal to indicate the discovery terminal to discover the discovered terminal using the discovery identity of the discovered terminal;

a discovery module, arranged to perform paging or broadcasting using the discovery identity of the discovered terminal, wherein a page message or a broadcast message transmitted by the discovery terminal carries the discovery identity of the discovered terminal; and

a second reception module arranged to receive a response returned by the discovered terminal in response to the page message or the broadcast message, and determine that the discovered terminal is discovered; and

a discovered terminal, comprising a restrictive discovery apparatus for the Device to Device service, comprising;

a first reception module arranged to receive discovery information comprising a discovery identity allocated to the discovered terminal from a PF to which the discovered terminal belongs, wherein the discovery information comprising the discovery identity is allocated by the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs to the discovered terminal, the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal is transmitted by the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs to a PF to which a discovery terminal belongs, and the discovery information comprising the discovery identity of the discovered terminal is transmitted by the PF to which the discovery terminal belongs to the discovery terminal to indicate the discovery terminal to discover the discovered terminal using the discovery identity of the discovered terminal;

a second reception module arranged to receive a page message or a broadcast message transmitted by the discovery terminal when the discovery terminal performs paging or broadcasting using the discovery identity of the discovered terminal, wherein the page message or the broadcast message carries the discovery identity of the discovered terminal;

a determination module arranged to determine that the discovery identity carried in the page message or the broadcast message is the same as the discovery identity received from the PF to which the discovered terminal belongs; and

a transmission module arranged to return a page or broadcast response message to the discovery terminal to indicate that the discovery terminal discovers the discovered terminal.