Network methods and apparatus
First Claim
1. A method of operating a first communications device, the method comprising:
- making a decision to establish a communications connection with a second communications device;
identifying a first gateway device used by said second communications device;
identifying a third communications device which uses said first gateway device;
transmitting a first connection establishment request to said third communications device, said first connection establishment request including a first device identifier identifying the first communications device and a second device identifier identifying the second communications device;
receiving a second connection establishment request including a fourth device identifier identifying a fourth communications device which is the source of the second connection establishment request and a fifth device identifier identifying a target communications device with which a connection is to be established;
determining if information on a path to the target communications device is known to the first communications device, wherein said path does not traverse a second gateway device used by the first communications device and the target communications device;
when information on said path to the target communications device is known to the first communications device, forwarding the second connection establishment request towards the target communications device; and
when information on said path to the target communications device is not known to the first communications device, forwarding the second connection establishment request towards said second gateway device.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for efficiently establishing communications connections, e.g., for a secondary application, are described. A device to device communications network has established routing paths, e.g., corresponding to a first application. Different segments of the network use different gateways. Individual communications devices within a segment of the network may have incomplete information on the routing within the segment. A wireless communications device advertises the gateway device which it uses for the first application. A first communications device seeking to establish a communications connection with a second communications device for a second application uses obtained gateway information to make transmission and/or routing decisions, e.g., identifying a third communications device which can bridge a routing path gap between two segments of the network.
24 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of operating a first communications device, the method comprising:
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making a decision to establish a communications connection with a second communications device; identifying a first gateway device used by said second communications device; identifying a third communications device which uses said first gateway device; transmitting a first connection establishment request to said third communications device, said first connection establishment request including a first device identifier identifying the first communications device and a second device identifier identifying the second communications device; receiving a second connection establishment request including a fourth device identifier identifying a fourth communications device which is the source of the second connection establishment request and a fifth device identifier identifying a target communications device with which a connection is to be established; determining if information on a path to the target communications device is known to the first communications device, wherein said path does not traverse a second gateway device used by the first communications device and the target communications device; when information on said path to the target communications device is known to the first communications device, forwarding the second connection establishment request towards the target communications device; and when information on said path to the target communications device is not known to the first communications device, forwarding the second connection establishment request towards said second gateway device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A first communications device comprising:
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a connection establishment decision module configured to make a decision to establish a communications connection with a second communications device; a gateway identification module configured to identify a first gateway device used by said second communications device; a device identification module configured to identify a third communications device which uses said first gateway device; a first transmitter module configured to transmit a first connection establishment request to said third communications device, said first connection establishment request including a first device identifier identifying the first communications device and a second device identifier identifying the second communications device; a connection establishment request receive module configured to receive a second connection establishment request including a fourth device identifier identifying a fourth communications device which is the source of the second connection establishment request and a fifth device identifier identifying a target communications device with which a connection is to be established; a path knowledge determination module configured to determine if information on a path to the target communications device is known to the first communications device, wherein said path does not traverse a second gateway device used by the first communications device and the target communications device; and a connection establishment request forwarding module configured to; forward the second connection establishment request towards the target communications device when information on said path to the target communications device is determined to be known to the first communications device; and forward the second connection establishment request towards said second gateway device when information on said path to the target communications device is determined to not be known to the first communications device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification