Method and apparatus for establishing ad hoc groups in a wireless communication network

• US 20030060168A1
• Filed: 09/24/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Teibel, Daniel A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,260,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/16 Performing reselection for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/343 taking into account loading or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/346 distributing total power among users or channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

During formation of an ad hoc group, the transmit power level of a user device within a wireless communication network is reduced. Potential group members are thus identified within an immediate vicinity of the user device.

Claims

1. A method for establishing an ad hoc group comprising:

transmitting a wireless invitation signal at a reduced transmit power level;

receiving response signals from user devices that have received said reduced power wireless invitation signal;

preparing a list of potential group members based on said response signals;

selecting members for said ad hoc group from said list of potential group members; and

communicating with ad hoc group members at a normal transmit power level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said reduced transmit power level is chosen so that only user devices within an immediate vicinity of a transmitting device can sense said wireless invitation signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

transmitting a wireless invitation signal includes selecting one of a plurality of predetermined transmit power levels.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

transmitting a wireless invitation signal includes selecting one of a plurality of predetermined transmit power levels based on an approximate physical size of a meeting area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

transmitting a wireless invitation signal includes determining an approximate physical size of a meeting area and calculating a reduced transmit power level based thereon.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

regularly transmitting reduced power beacon signals during communication with said ad hoc group members, said reduced power beacon signals inviting other users to join said ad hoc group.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said list of potential group members includes user names.

8. A method for establishing an ad hoc group comprising:

determining that an ad hoc group is to be established;

transmitting a wireless invitation signal at a reduced transmit power level in response to said determination;

receiving response signals from user devices within a range of said wireless invitation signal;

preparing a list of potential group members based on said response signals; and

selecting members for said ad hoc group from said list of potential group members.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

said reduced transmit power level is chosen so that only user devices within an immediate vicinity of a transmitting device can sense said wireless invitation signal.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein:

determining that an ad hoc group is to be established includes receiving an input indication from a local user.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

communicating with members of said ad hoc group at a normal transmit power level after selecting members.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

regularly transmitting reduced power beacon signals during communication with said ad hoc group members, said reduced power beacon signals inviting other users to join said ad hoc group.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein:

said response signals from user devices within a range of said wireless invitation signal each identify a user associated with the corresponding user device by name.

14. A wireless communication device comprising:

a wireless transceiver; and

an ad hoc group controller coupled to said wireless transceiver to control a transmit power level of said wireless transceiver, said ad hoc group controller causing said wireless transceiver to transmit at a reduced transmit power level during ad hoc group formation operations and at a normal transmit power level during ad hoc group communication operations.

15. The wireless communication device of claim 14, wherein:

said ad hoc group formation operations include transmission of an ad hoc group invitation signal.

16. The wireless communication device of claim 14, wherein:

said ad hoc group communication operations include data transfers between members of an ad hoc group.

17. The wireless communication device of claim 14, wherein:

said reduced transmit power level is chosen to limit a reception range of said wireless communication device to an immediate vicinity about said device.

18. The wireless communication device of claim 14, wherein:

said ad hoc group controller includes a list compilation function for compiling a list of potential group members based on responses to a reduced power invitation signal transmitted by said wireless transceiver.

19. The wireless communication device of claim 18, wherein:

said ad hoc group controller presents said list of potential group members to a local user via an output device.

20. The wireless communication device of claim 14, wherein:

said ad hoc group controller includes a user query unit to query a local user regarding an approximate size of a meeting area associated with an ad hoc group.

21. The wireless communication device of claim 14, wherein:

said ad hoc group controller includes a power level determination unit to determine a reduced transmit power level for an invitation signal based on an approximate size of a meeting area associated with an ad hoc group.

22. The wireless communication device of claim 14, wherein:

said wireless transceiver is Bluetooth compatible.