Method for wireless capability discovery and protocol negotiation, and wireless device including same

• US 20040204071A1
• Filed: 05/01/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bahl, Pradeep, Hassan, Amer
• Granted Patent: US 6,957,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A protocol and method for establishing wireless data sessions between wireless clients, each of which support multiple wireless protocols is presented. A commonly supported wireless protocol is utilized to share the wireless protocols supported by the clients'"'"' circuitry. A wireless data session is then established based on the common capabilities of the wireless clients. Where multiple common protocols are supported, user preferences are utilized to determine which of the commonly supported protocols will be utilized for the wireless data session. Once a data session is established, the control channel may be idled periodically to conserve power. Alternatively, the protocol utilized in the wireless data session may be used to transmit control messages using the protocol of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a wireless data session between a first wireless device capable of wireless communication via at least a first wireless protocol and a second wireless device capable of wireless communication via at least the first wireless protocol, comprising the steps of:

establishing a wireless control channel between the first and the second wireless devices using the first wireless protocol;

exchanging wireless capability information between the first and the second wireless devices;

determining common wireless capabilities between the first and the second wireless devices; and

establishing a wireless data session utilizing the common wireless capabilities between the first and the second wireless devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining common wireless capabilities reveals that the first and the second wireless devices each are capable of wireless communication via at least two common wireless protocols, further comprising the step of negotiating a preferred wireless protocol for the wireless data session.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of negotiating comprises the steps of:

transmitting user wireless preferences identifying a first preferred wireless protocol from the first wireless device to the second wireless device;

transmitting an ACK message from the second wireless device to the first wireless device when the first preferred wireless protocol is acceptable; and

transmitting a NACK message from the second wireless device to the first wireless device when the first preferred wireless protocol is not acceptable.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting user wireless preferences identifying a second preferred wireless protocol from the first wireless device to the second wireless device;

transmitting an ACK message from the second wireless device to the first wireless device when the second preferred wireless protocol is acceptable; and

transmitting a NACK message from the second wireless device to the first wireless device when the second preferred wireless protocol is not acceptable.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of negotiating comprises the steps of:

transmitting a request for user wireless preferences from the second wireless device to the first wireless device;

transmitting a response to the request including a first preferred wireless protocol from the first wireless device to the second wireless device;

transmitting an ACK message from the second wireless device to the first wireless device when the first preferred wireless protocol is acceptable; and

transmitting a NACK message from the second wireless device to the first wireless device when the first preferred wireless protocol is not acceptable.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the preferred wireless protocol for the wireless data session is different than the first wireless protocol used to establish the wireless control channel, further comprising the steps of:

idling communication circuitry associated with the first wireless protocol; and

periodically activating the communication circuitry associated with the first wireless protocol.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the preferred wireless protocol for the wireless data session is different than the first wireless protocol used to establish the wireless control channel, further comprising the steps of:

idling communication circuitry associated with the first wireless protocol; and

exchanging control messages using the preferred wireless protocol for the data session.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of dynamically changing the preferred wireless protocol utilized for the wireless data session.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of dynamically changing the preferred wireless protocol comprises the steps of:

transmitting a control message on the wireless control channel via the first wireless protocol requesting a change in wireless protocol for the wireless data session to a different wireless protocol;

re-establishing the wireless data session using the different wireless protocol.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of dynamically changing the preferred wireless protocol comprises the steps of:

transmitting a control message during the wireless data session requesting a change in wireless protocol to a different wireless protocol;

re-establishing the wireless data session using the different wireless protocol.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of establishing a wireless control channel using the first wireless protocol, comprises the step of establishing a wireless control channel using IEEE 802.11b wireless protocol.

12. A method of establishing a wireless data session between a first and a second wireless device, each device supporting multiple wireless capabilities, comprising the steps of:

establishing wireless communication between the first and the second wireless devices;

exchanging information identifying each wireless devices'"'"' wireless capabilities;

determining which wireless capabilities are common between the first and the second wireless devices; and

utilizing the common wireless capabilities in the wireless data session.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of establishing wireless communication comprises the step of establishing wireless communication via IEEE 802.11b wireless protocol.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of exchanging information comprises the step of exchanging information identifying which wireless protocols each wireless device supports.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of determining which wireless capabilities are common between the first and the second wireless devices identifies at least two wireless protocols supported by each wireless device, further comprising the step of negotiating which one of the at least two wireless protocols will be used in the wireless data session.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of negotiating comprises the steps of:

transmitting a suggestion of a preferred wireless protocol from the first to the second wireless device;

transmitting an acceptance of the preferred wireless protocol from the second to the first wireless device when the suggestion is acceptable to the second wireless device; and

transmitting a non-acceptance of the preferred wireless protocol from the second to the first wireless device when the suggestion is not acceptable to the second wireless device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of negotiating comprises the steps of:

transmitting a request for a preferred wireless protocol from the second wireless device to the first wireless device;

transmitting a suggestion of a preferred wireless protocol from the first wireless device to the second wireless device in response to the request;

transmitting an acceptance of the preferred wireless protocol from the second wireless device to the first wireless device when the suggestion is acceptable to the second wireless device; and

transmitting a non-acceptance of the preferred wireless protocol from the second wireless device to the first wireless device when the suggestion is not acceptable to the second wireless device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of establishing wireless communication between the first and the second wireless devices comprises the step of utilizing a first wireless protocol for the wireless communication, and wherein the step of negotiating which one of the at least two wireless protocols will be used in the wireless data session results in utilizing a second wireless protocol in the wireless data session, further comprising the step of idling communication circuitry associated with the first wireless protocol to conserve power.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of periodically activating the communication circuitry associated with the first wireless protocol.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a request to change from the one wireless protocol used in the wireless data session to another common wireless protocol; and

re-establishing the wireless data session using the another common wireless protocol.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of transmitting the request to change from the one wireless protocol used in the wireless data session to another common wireless protocol comprises the step of transmitting the request utilizing the one wireless protocol.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of establishing wireless communication between the first and the second wireless devices comprises the step of utilizing a first wireless protocol for the wireless communication, wherein the step of negotiating which one of the at least two wireless protocols will be used in the wireless data session results in utilizing a second wireless protocol in the wireless data session, and wherein the step of transmitting the request to change from the one wireless protocol used in the wireless data session to another common wireless protocol comprises the step of transmitting the request utilizing the first wireless protocol.

23. A wireless device, comprising:

a wireless network interface including communication circuitry adapted to communicate in accordance with at least one wireless protocol; and

a network driver including a wireless capabilities manager, the wireless capabilities manager configuring the wireless network interface to utilize a particular wireless protocol to establish wireless communication with another wireless device.

24. The wireless device of claim 23, wherein the wireless capabilities manager provides information of wireless capabilities supported by the wireless device to the wireless network card for transmission via the particular wireless protocol.

25. The wireless device of claim 24, wherein the wireless capabilities manager compares the wireless capabilities supported by the wireless device to other wireless capabilities provided by the other wireless device to determine common wireless capabilities.

26. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the wireless capabilities manager utilizes user preferences to determine which one wireless protocol to utilize for communication when at least two wireless protocols are determined to be common, the wireless capabilities manager thereafter configuring the wireless interface to utilize that one wireless protocol.

27. The wireless device of claim 26, wherein the wireless capabilities manager disables all communication circuitry not required to communicate via the one wireless protocol.

28. The wireless device of claim 23, wherein the wireless network interface includes communication circuitry adapted to communicate in accordance with a plurality of wireless protocols, and wherein the wireless capabilities manager disables the communication circuitry adapted to communicate in accordance with all wireless protocols other than the particular wireless protocol used to establish wireless communication with another wireless device.