CONNECTIONLESS INFORMATION TRANSFER FROM ADVERTISING DEVICE

• US 20080109302A1
• Filed: 11/08/2006
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Morgan & Finnegan, Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Reunamaki, Jukka, Kasslin, Mika, Salokannel, Juha, Ruuska, Paivi M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,005,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A system for conveying wireless information between an advertising device (advertiser) and another wireless communication device (receiving device). The advertiser'"'"'s broadcast signal (advertisement) may inform the receiving device that information is available from the advertiser without the requirement of establishing a formal network connection. This information may be then be conveyed, by request, to the receiving device. Further, the advertising device may, in some instances, continue to broadcast to other receiving devices even though it is already engaged in a formal network connection with a receiving device.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating wireless communication, comprising:

detecting a wireless advertisement message from a proximate device indicating at least the presence and identity of the proximate device;

sending a message to the proximate device requesting specific information that is available for transmission without having to negotiate a formal network connection with the proximate device; and

receiving the requested information without negotiating the formal network connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a wireless advertisement message from a proximate device occurs via short-range wireless communication.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless advertisement message includes a signal indicating that specific information is available for transmission without having to negotiate a formal network connection with the proximate device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the signal indicates that at least one of a feature map or other specific information is available for transmission without having to negotiate a formal network connection with the proximate device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the requested information without negotiating the formal network connection includes receiving the requested information without having to form a wireless network with the proximate device.

6. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium for facilitating wireless communication, comprising:

a computer readable program code for detecting a wireless advertisement message from a proximate device indicating at least the presence and identity of the proximate device;

a computer readable program code for sending a message to the proximate device requesting specific information that is available for transmission without having to negotiate a formal network connection with the proximate device; and

a computer readable program code for receiving the requested information without negotiating the formal network connection.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein detecting a wireless advertisement message from a proximate device occurs via short-range wireless communication.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the advertisement message includes a signal indicating that information is available for transmission without having to negotiate a formal network connection with the proximate device.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the signal indicates that at least one of a feature map or other specific information is available for transmission without having to negotiate a formal network connection with the proximate device.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein receiving the requested information without negotiating the formal network connection includes receiving the requested information without having to form a wireless network with the proximate device.

11. A device, comprising:

at least one communication module; and

at least one processing module enabled to perform the steps including;

detecting a wireless advertisement message from a proximate device indicating at least the presence and identity of the proximate device;

sending a message to the proximate device requesting specific information that is available for transmission without having to negotiate a formal network connection with the proximate device; and

receiving the requested information without negotiating the formal network connection.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein detecting a wireless advertisement message from a proximate device occurs via short-range wireless communication.

13. A system comprising:

an advertising device enabled to communicate wirelessly; and

at least one receiving device enabled to communicate wirelessly;

the at least one receiving device detecting a wireless advertisement message from the advertising device indicating at least the presence and identity of the advertising device;

the at least one receiving device further sending a message to the proximate device requesting specific information that is available for transmission without having to negotiate a formal network connection with the proximate device; and

the at least one receiving device further receiving the requested information without negotiating the formal network connection.

14. A method for facilitating wireless communication, comprising:

broadcasting a wireless advertisement message;

receiving, in response to the wireless advertisement message, a request to transmit specific information that is available for transmission without having to negotiate a formal network connection; and

responding to the request by transmitting the requested specific information without negotiating a formal network connection.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein broadcasting the advertisement message occurs via short-range wireless communication.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless advertisement message includes a signal indicating that specific information is available for transmission without having to negotiate a formal network connection.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein responding to the request to transmit information includes not responding to the request if the requested information is not available.

18. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium for facilitating wireless communication, comprising:

a computer readable program code for broadcasting a wireless advertisement message;

a computer readable program code for receiving, in response to the wireless advertisement message, a request to transmit specific information that is available for transmission without having to negotiate a formal network connection; and

a computer readable program code for responding to the request by transmitting the requested specific information without negotiating a formal network connection.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein broadcasting the advertisement message occurs via short-range wireless communication.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the wireless advertisement message includes a signal indicating that specific information is available for transmission without having to negotiate a formal network connection.

21. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein responding to the request to transmit information includes not responding to the request if the requested information is not available

22. A device, comprising:

at least one communication module; and

at least one processing module enabled to perform the steps including;

broadcasting a wireless advertisement message;

receiving, in response to the wireless advertisement message, a request to transmit specific information that is available for transmission without having to negotiate a formal network connection; and

responding to the request by transmitting the requested specific information without negotiating a formal network connection.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein broadcasting an advertisement message occurs via short-range wireless communication.

24. A method for facilitating wireless communication, comprising:

broadcasting an advertisement message including at least presence and identity information;

receiving, from another wireless communication device, a message requesting a formal network connection;

negotiating a formal network connection with the other wireless communication device;

altering the advertisement message to indicate that the advertising device is engaged in a formal network connection;

broadcasting the altered advertisement message.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein broadcasting the advertisement message occurs via short-range wireless communication.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the advertisement message further contains at least an identification of information available for wireless transmission without having to negotiate a formal network connection.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the formal network connection includes communication using a periodic sniff strategy.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the altered advertisement message further contains an indication of specific information that is available while engaged in the formal network connection.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the specific information may be transmitted to another device when the advertising device is not actively communicating over the formal wireless network.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the specific information may be transmitted to another device in between sniff periods as dictated by a periodic sniff strategy.

31. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium for facilitating wireless communication, comprising:

a computer readable program code for broadcasting an advertisement message including at least presence and identity information;

a computer readable program code for receiving, from another wireless communication device, a message requesting a formal network connection;

a computer readable program code for negotiating a formal network connection with the other wireless communication device;

a computer readable program code for altering the advertisement message to indicate that the advertising device is engaged in a formal network connection;

a computer readable program code for broadcasting the altered advertisement message.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein broadcasting an advertisement message occurs via short-range wireless communication.

33. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the advertisement information further contains at least an identification of information available for wireless transmission without having to negotiate a formal network connection.

34. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the formal network connection includes communication using a periodic sniff strategy.

35. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the altered advertisement message further contains an indication of specific information that is available while engaged in the formal network connection.

36. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the specific information may be transmitted to another device when the advertising device is not actively communicating over the formal wireless network.

37. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the specific information may be transmitted to another device in between sniff periods as dictated by a periodic sniff strategy.

38. A device, comprising:

at least one communication module; and

at least one processing device enabled to perform the method steps including;

broadcasting an advertisement message including at least presence and identity information;

receiving, from another wireless communication device, a message requesting a formal network connection;

negotiating a formal network connection with the other wireless communication device;

altering the advertisement message to indicate that the advertising device is engaged in a formal network connection;

broadcasting the altered advertisement message.

39. The device of claim 38, wherein broadcasting an advertisement message occurs via short-range wireless communication.

40. A system comprising:

an advertising device enabled to communicate wirelessly; and

at least one receiving device enabled to communicate wirelessly;

the advertising device broadcasting an advertisement message including at least presence and identity information;

the advertising device receiving, from the at least one receiving device, a message requesting a formal network connection;

the advertising device further negotiating a formal network connection with the at least one receiving device;

the advertising device further altering the advertisement message to indicate that the advertising device is engaged in a formal network connection; and

the advertising device further broadcasting the altered advertisement message.