Ad hoc network discovery menu

• US 20050088980A1
• Filed: 11/03/2004
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kai Nyman, Mikko Olkkonen, Stephane Bouet
• Original Assignee: Kai Nyman, Mikko Olkkonen, Stephane Bouet
• Inventors: Olkkonen, Mikko, Bouet, Stephane, Nyman, Kai
• Granted Patent: US 7,590,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1046 Joining mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

When an ad hoc network is formed between short range wireless devices, at least one device assumes the role of an ad hoc network information provider for the new piconet. In this role, the device allocates a browsing hierarchy of service classes in its service registry. The service classes will provide a record to characterize the ad hoc network. When a new wireless device arrives within the communication range of any member of the ad hoc network, its inquiry signals are answered by the first member detecting the inquiry. If that first member is an ad hoc network information provider, it responds with information accessed from its service registry characterizing the ad hoc network. If, instead, an ordinary device in the ad hoc network is the first to respond to the inquiry signals of the arriving device, the device responds with the address of the ad hoc network information provider. The arriving device then pages the ad hoc network information provider to obtain information characterizing the ad hoc network.

Claims

1-85. -85. (canceled)

86. A method to provide network information to an arriving wireless device which is proximate to a plurality other wireless devices, the network information enabling the arriving device to selectively join ad hoc networks, comprising:

maintaining in one or more network nodes in a first ad hoc network, a first list of available services of wireless devices in the first ad hoc network and updating the first list based on the information received from the wireless devices in the first ad hoc network;

maintaining in one or more network nodes in a second ad hoc network, a second list of available services of wireless devices in the second ad hoc network and updating the second list based on the information received from the wireless devices in the second ad hoc network;

discovering the first and the second ad hoc network by the arriving wireless device;

gathering, by the arriving device, information characterizing the first ad hoc network by obtaining first service information associated with said first list describing available services of wireless devices in the first ad hoc network;

gathering, by the arriving device, information characterizing the second ad hoc network by obtaining second service information associated with said second list describing available services of wireless devices in the second ad hoc network;

forming, by the arriving wireless device, a compiled network discovery service list including a first characteristic of the first ad hoc network derived from the first service information and a second characteristic of the second ad hoc network derived from the second service information; and

joining the arriving wireless device to either the first ad hoc network or the second ad hoc network based on the compiled network discovery list.

87. The method of claim 86, further comprising:

sending, by the arriving wireless device, an update message to one or more nodes in the ad hoc network joined by the arriving wireless device for updating the list describing available services within said ad hoc network.

88. The method of claim 87, further comprising:

receiving the update message by the one or more nodes in the ad hoc network wherein the arriving wireless device has joined; and

updating, by said one or more nodes, a service registry corresponding to the list of available services in said ad hoc network.

89. The method of claim 88, wherein the service registry is Service Discovery Protocol (SDP) registry.

90. The method of claim 86, wherein said gathering further comprises:

selectively searching for other devices having a specified class of device characteristic.

91. The method of claim 86, wherein said gathering further comprises:

selectively searching for other devices having a specified service class.

92. The method of claim 86, wherein said gathering further comprises:

selectively searching for other devices having a specified service attribute.

93. The method of claim 86, which further comprises:

forming and displaying by the arriving wireless device a network discovery menu including said first characteristic of the first ad hoc network and said second characteristic of the second ad hoc network.

94. The method of claim 93, which further comprises:

determining received signal quality of devices in said first and second ad hoc networks, by the arriving wireless device; and

ranking said first and second characteristics displayed in said network discovery menu according to said received signal quality, by the arriving wireless device.

95. The method of claim 93, which further comprises:

associating with each of said first and second characteristics displayed in said network discovery menu, corresponding information about accessing each respective first and second ad hoc network.

96. A system to provide network information to an arriving wireless device which is proximate to a plurality other wireless devices, the network information enabling the arriving device to selectively join ad hoc networks, comprising:

one or more first wireless devices maintaining in a first ad hoc network, a first list of available services of wireless devices in the first ad hoc network and updating the first list based on the information received from the wireless devices in the first ad hoc network;

one or more second wireless devices maintaining in one or more network nodes in a second ad hoc network, a second list of available services of wireless devices in the second ad hoc network and updating the second list based on the information received from the wireless devices in the second ad hoc network;

an arriving wireless device discovering the first and the second ad hoc network;

said arriving device gathering information characterizing the first ad hoc network by obtaining first service information associated with said first list describing available services of wireless devices in the first ad hoc network;

said arriving device gathering information characterizing the second ad hoc network by obtaining second service information associated with said second list describing available services of wireless devices in the second ad hoc network;

said arriving device forming a compiled network discovery service list including a first characteristic of the first ad hoc network derived from the first service information and a second characteristic of the second ad hoc network derived from the second service information; and

said arriving device joining to either the first ad hoc network or the second ad hoc network based on the compiled network discovery list.

97. The system of claim 96, further comprising:

said arriving wireless device sending an update message to one or more wireless devices in the ad hoc network joined by the arriving wireless device for updating the list describing available services within said ad hoc network.

98. The system of claim 97, further comprising:

said one or more wireless devices in the ad hoc network wherein the arriving wireless device has joined, receiving the update message; and

said one or more wireless devices in the ad hoc network wherein the arriving wireless device has joined, updating a service registry corresponding to the list of available services in said ad hoc network.

99. The system of claim 98, wherein the service registry is Service Discovery Protocol (SDP) registry.

100. The system of claim 96, wherein said gathering further comprises:

said arriving wireless device selectively searching for other devices having a specified class of device characteristic.

101. The system of claim 96, wherein said gathering further comprises:

said arriving wireless device selectively searching for other devices having a specified service class.

102. The system of claim 96, wherein said gathering further comprises:

said arriving wireless device selectively searching for other devices having a specified service attribute.

103. The system of claim 96, which further comprises:

said arriving wireless device forming and displaying a network discovery menu including said first characteristic of the first ad hoc network and said second characteristic of the second ad hoc network.

104. The system of claim 103, which further comprises:

said arriving wireless device determining received signal quality of devices in said first and second ad hoc networks; and

said arriving wireless device ranking said first and second characteristics displayed in said network discovery menu according to said received signal quality.

105. The system of claim 103, which further comprises:

said arriving wireless device associating with each of said first and second characteristics displayed in said network discovery menu, corresponding information about accessing each respective first and second ad hoc network.

106. A computer program product to provide network information to an arriving wireless device which is proximate to a plurality other wireless devices, the network information enabling the arriving device to selectively join ad hoc networks, comprising:

a computer readable medium;

program code in said computer readable medium for maintaining in one or more network nodes in a first ad hoc network, a first list of available services of wireless devices in the first ad hoc network and updating the first list based on the information received from the wireless devices in the first ad hoc network;

program code in said computer readable medium for maintaining in one or more network nodes in a second ad hoc network, a second list of available services of wireless devices in the second ad hoc network and updating the second list based on the information received from the wireless devices in the second ad hoc network;

program code in said computer readable medium for discovering the first and the second ad hoc network by the arriving wireless device;

program code in said computer readable medium for gathering, by the arriving device, information characterizing the first ad hoc network by obtaining first service information associated with said first list describing available services of wireless devices in the first ad hoc network;

program code in said computer readable medium for gathering, by the arriving device, information characterizing the second ad hoc network by obtaining second service information associated with said second list describing available services of wireless devices in the second ad hoc network;

program code in said computer readable medium for forming, by the arriving wireless device, a compiled network discovery service list including a first characteristic of the first ad hoc network derived from the first service information and a second characteristic of the second ad hoc network derived from the second service information; and

program code in said computer readable medium for joining the arriving wireless device to either the first ad hoc network or the second ad hoc network based on the compiled network discovery list.

107. The computer program product of claim 106, further comprising:

program code in said computer readable medium for sending, by the arriving wireless device, an update message to one or more nodes in the ad hoc network joined by the arriving wireless device for updating the list describing available services within said ad hoc network.

108. The computer program product of claim 107, further comprising:

program code in said computer readable medium for receiving the update message by the one or more nodes in the ad hoc network wherein the arriving wireless device has joined; and

program code in said computer readable medium for updating, by said one or more nodes, a service registry corresponding to the list of available services in said ad hoc network.

109. The computer program product of claim 108, wherein the service registry is Service Discovery Protocol (SDP) registry.

110. The computer program product of claim 106, wherein said gathering further comprises:

program code in said computer readable medium for selectively searching for other devices having a specified class of device characteristic.

111. The computer program product of claim 106, wherein said gathering further comprises:

program code in said computer readable medium for selectively searching for other devices having a specified service class.

112. The computer program product of claim 106, wherein said gathering further comprises:

program code in said computer readable medium for selectively searching for other devices having a specified service attribute.

113. The computer program product of claim 106, which further comprises:

program code in said computer readable medium for forming and displaying by the arriving wireless device a network discovery menu including said first characteristic of the first ad hoc network and said second characteristic of the second ad hoc network.

114. The computer program product of claim 113, which further comprises:

program code in said computer readable medium for determining received signal quality of devices in said first and second ad hoc networks, by the arriving wireless device; and

program code in said computer readable medium for ranking said first and second characteristics displayed in said network discovery menu according to said received signal quality, by the arriving wireless device.

115. The computer program product of claim 113, which further comprises:

program code in said computer readable medium for associating with each of said first and second characteristics displayed in said network discovery menu, corresponding information about accessing each respective first and second ad hoc network.

116. A mobile wireless device capable of gathering network information about a network that is proximate and includes a plurality other wireless devices, the network information enabling the mobile device to selectively join ad hoc networks, comprising:

a mobile wireless device including a processor, a memory for storing program code executable by the processor, a radio, and a user interface;

program code in said memory for establishing a connection with a first ad hoc network that maintains in one or more network nodes, a first list of available services of wireless devices in the first ad hoc network, the network updating the first list based on information received from the wireless devices in the first ad hoc network;

program code in said memory establishing a connection with a second ad hoc network that maintains in one or more network nodes, a second list of available services of wireless devices in the second ad hoc network, the second network updating the second list based on information received from the wireless devices in the second ad hoc network;

program code in said memory for discovering the first and the second ad hoc network;

program code in said memory for gathering information characterizing the first ad hoc network by obtaining first service information associated with said first list describing available services of wireless devices in the first ad hoc network;

program code in said memory for gathering information characterizing the second ad hoc network by obtaining second service information associated with said second list describing available services of wireless devices in the second ad hoc network;

program code in said memory for forming a compiled network discovery service list including a first characteristic of the first ad hoc network derived from the first service information and a second characteristic of the second ad hoc network derived from the second service information; and

program code in said memory for joining the mobile wireless device to either the first ad hoc network or the second ad hoc network based on the compiled network discovery list.

117. The mobile wireless device of claim 116, further comprising:

program code in said memory for sending an update message to one or more nodes in the ad hoc network joined by the mobile wireless device for updating the list describing available services within said ad hoc network.

118. The mobile wireless device of claim 117, further comprising:

said one or more nodes updating a service registry corresponding to the list of available services in said ad hoc network, in response to said update message.

119. The mobile wireless device of claim 118, wherein the service registry is Service Discovery Protocol (SDP) registry.

120. The mobile wireless device of claim 116, wherein said gathering further comprises:

selectively searching for other devices having a specified class of device characteristic.

121. The mobile wireless device of claim 116, wherein said gathering further comprises:

selectively searching for other devices having a specified service class.

122. The mobile wireless device of claim 116, wherein said gathering further comprises:

selectively searching for other devices having a specified service attribute.

123. The mobile wireless device of claim 116, which further comprises:

program code in said memory for forming and displaying by the mobile wireless device a network discovery menu including said first characteristic of the first ad hoc network and said second characteristic of the second ad hoc network.

124. The mobile wireless device of claim 123, which further comprises:

program code in said memory for determining received signal quality of devices in said first and second ad hoc networks; and

program code in said memory for ranking said first and second characteristics displayed in said network discovery menu according to said received signal quality.

125. The mobile wireless device of claim 123, which further comprises:

program code in said memory for associating with each of said first and second characteristics displayed in said network discovery menu, corresponding information about accessing each respective first and second ad hoc network.