Protocol for indicating enhanced capabilities for use by short-range wireless connectivity equipment

• US 20050180425A1
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Reunamaki, Jukka, Palin, Arto, Ruuska, Paivi M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,760,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

A method for use by a device communicating according to a short-range wireless connectivity protocol in attempting to establish a connection to another device using an enhanced inquiry and/or paging procedure as part of the connection procedure, the method including a step in which the device transmits a first packet for establishing a connection to the other device, and the other device responds with one or more response packets whose content depends on whether the other device is configured to perform the enhanced procedure. In some embodiments, the first packet is an identifier packet including extension data indicating via a predetermined bit pattern that the device is itself configured to perform the enhanced procedure.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

a step in which a first device transmits a first packet according to a short-range wireless connectivity protocol for establishing a connection; and

a step in which a second device receives the first packet and responds according to the short-range wireless connectivity protocol by transmitting one or more response packets;

wherein the content of the one or more response packets depends on whether the second device is configured to perform an enhanced procedure.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the enhanced procedure is an enhanced inquiry procedure or an enhanced paging procedure.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first packet includes an indication that the first device is configured to perform the enhanced procedure.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein the first device is an inquirer device or a paging device and the second device is a scanning device, and the first packet is an identifier packet extended to include extension data conveying via a predetermined bit pattern the indication that the first device is configured to perform the enhanced procedure.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first device is an inquirer device or a paging device and the second device is a scanning device, and the first packet is an identifier packet and the one or more response packets include a synchronizing packet.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein at least one of the one or more response packets is extended to include extension data conveying via a predetermined bit pattern an indication that the second device is configured to perform the enhanced procedure.

7. A method as in claim 1, further comprising a step in which the second device includes in the one or more response packets an indication that the second device transmits packets conveying additional data and the second device includes the additional data following the indication that the second device transmits packets conveying additional data.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein the second device conveys as the one or more response packets synchronizing information per a non-enhanced procedure followed by additional data per the enhanced procedure.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein the enhanced procedure is an enhanced inquiry procedure and the first device is an inquiring device and transmits as the first packet an identifier packet extended to include extension data conveying the indication that the first device is configured to perform the enhanced procedure, and wherein the second device is a scanning device and in response to the first packet the scanning device transmits a synchronizing packet followed by packets conveying additional data.

10. A method as in claim 9, further comprising a step in which the scanning device includes in the synchronizing packet an indication that the scanning device transmits packets conveying additional data after transmitting the synchronizing packet.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein the enhanced procedure is an enhanced paging procedure and the first device is a paging device and transmits as the first packet an identifier packet extended to include extension data conveying the indication that the first device is configured to perform the enhanced procedure, and in response the second device transmits an identifier packet extended to include extension data conveying the indication that the scanning device is configured to perform the enhanced procedure.

12. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage structure embodying computer program code thereon for execution by a computer processor in a device configured for wireless communication according to a short-range wireless communication protocol, with said computer program code comprising instructions for performing a method including;

a step in which the device transmits a first packet according to a short-range wireless connectivity protocol for establishing a connection to another device; and

a step in which the device receives one or more response packets from the other device and uses the one or more response packets to determine whether the other device is configured to perform an enhanced procedure.

13. A computer program product as in claim 12, wherein the enhanced procedure is an enhanced inquiry procedure or an enhanced paging procedure.

14. A computer program product as in claim 12, wherein the first packet includes an indication that the device is configured to perform the enhanced procedure.

15. A device for communicating according to a short-range wireless connectivity protocol, the device comprising:

means by which the device transmits a first packet according to a short-range wireless connectivity protocol for establishing a connection to another device; and

means by which the device receives one or more response packets from the other device, and uses the content of the one or more response packets to determine whether the other device is configured to perform an enhanced procedure.

16. A device as in claim 15, wherein the enhanced procedure is an enhanced inquiry procedure or an enhanced paging procedure.

17. A device as in claim 15, wherein the first packet includes an indication that the device is configured to perform the enhanced procedure.

18. A system comprising a plurality of devices for communicating according to a short-range wireless connectivity protocol, at least one of which devices is according to claim 15.