MULTIHOP PAGING OF A PEER IN A PEER-TO-PEER COMMUNICATION NETWORK

• US 20090017844A1
• Filed: 07/10/2007
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Laroia, Rajiv, Li, Junyi
• Granted Patent: US 8,706,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/458
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate indirectly paging a peer in a peer-to-peer communication network via a series of direct peer-to-peer pages. Paging messages may be communicated directly between peers. Moreover, a paging message communicated from a first peer to a second peer may be further routed to a third peer. For example, the paging message may include information (e.g., an identifier associated with an ultimate destination) utilized to effectuate multihop paging; thus, upon obtaining the paging message, a peer may forward the paging message based upon such information.

Claims

1. A method of operating a first wireless terminal for communicating paging messages directly with a second wireless terminal in a peer-to-peer environment, comprising:

receiving a first paging message from a first peer;

determining that the first paging message is designated to be routed to a second peer, the second peer being different from the first wireless terminal; and

transmitting a second paging message to the second peer, the second paging message being related to the first paging message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the first paging message during a first subset of times of a first paging interval monitored by the first wireless terminal, the first subset of times being a function of an identifier of the first wireless terminal.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising transmitting the second paging message during a second subset of times of a second paging interval, the second subset being a function of an identifier of the second peer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second paging interval is different from the first paging interval.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first paging message includes at least a portion of an identifier associated with the second peer.

6. The method of claim 5, determining that the first paging message is designated to be routed to the second peer further comprises assessing whether to forward the second paging message to the second peer based upon inclusion of the identifier associated with the second peer in the first paging message.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising dynamically routing traffic related to the first and second paging messages during a corresponding traffic interval.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a third paging message that designates a fourth peer as an intended recipient; and

directly transmitting the third paging message to a third peer for routing to the fourth peer.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising transmitting the third paging message during a third subset of times of a third paging interval, the third subset being a function of an identifier of the third peer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first paging message and the second paging message include respective information pertaining to an identifier of a paging peer, an identifier of a paged peer, an identifier of an ultimate destination, a MAC identifier, a quality of service level, or a type of traffic.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first peer and the second peer directly communicate traffic corresponding to the first and second paging messages during a corresponding traffic interval.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising synchronizing a paging interval during which the first paging message is received and the second paging message is transmitted with the first peer and the second peer based upon an obtained signal.

13. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that retains instructions related to generating a first paging message that designates a second peer as an intended recipient and directly transmitting the first paging message to a first peer for routing to the second peer; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, configured to execute the instructions retained in the memory.

14. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the memory further retains instructions for transmitting the first paging message to the first peer during a subset of times of a paging interval, the subset being a function of an identifier of the first peer.

15. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first paging message includes at least a portion of an identifier associated with the second peer.

16. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first paging message includes information pertaining to an identifier of the wireless communications apparatus, an identifier of the first peer, an identifier of the second peer, a MAC identifier, a quality of service level, or a type of traffic.

17. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the memory further retains instructions for directly communicating traffic with the second peer during a corresponding traffic interval.

18. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the memory further retains instructions for indirectly communicating traffic with the second peer via the first peer during a corresponding traffic interval.

19. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the memory further retains instructions for indirectly communicating traffic with the second peer via a disparate third peer during a corresponding traffic interval.

20. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the memory further retains instructions for obtaining a second paging message from a fourth peer, determining that the second paging message is designated to be forwarded to a fifth peer, and sending a third paging message related to the second paging message to the fifth peer.

21. A wireless communications apparatus that enables routing paging messages in a peer-to-peer network, comprising:

means for obtaining a first paging message from a first peer;

means for determining that the first paging message is designated to be routed to a second peer; and

means for sending a second paging message to the second peer, the second paging message being related to the first paging message.

22. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for monitoring for the first paging message from the first peer during a first subset of times of a paging interval, the first subset of times being a function of an identifier of the wireless communications apparatus.

23. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for sending the second paging message to the second peer transmits the second paging message during a second subset of times of a paging interval, the second subset being a function of an identifier of the second peer.

24. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first paging message includes at least a portion of an identifier associated with the second peer.

25. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for dynamically routing traffic related to the first and second paging messages during a corresponding traffic interval.

26. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for generating a third paging message that designates a fourth peer as an ultimate destination; and

means for directly transmitting the third paging message to a third peer for routing to the fourth peer.

27. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first paging message and the second paging message include respective information pertaining to an identifier of a paging peer, an identifier of a paged peer, an identifier of an ultimate destination, a MAC identifier, a quality of service level, or a type of traffic.

28. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for synchronizing a paging interval during which the first paging message is obtained and the second paging message is sent with the first peer and the second peer based upon an obtained signal.

29. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-executable instructions for:

receiving a first paging message from a first peer at a wireless terminal;

assessing that the first paging message is to be forwarded to a second peer based upon at least a portion of an identifier pertaining to the second peer included with the first paging message; and

transmitting a second paging message to the second peer, the second paging message being related to the first paging message.

30. The machine-readable medium of claim 29, the machine-executable instructions further comprise monitoring for the first paging message from the first peer during a first subset of times of a paging interval, the first subset of times being a function of an identifier of the wireless terminal.

31. The machine-readable medium of claim 29, the machine-executable instructions further comprise transmitting the second paging message to the second peer during a second subset of times of a paging interval, the second subset being a function of an identifier of the second peer.

32. The machine-readable medium of claim 29, the machine-executable instructions further comprise dynamically routing traffic related to the first and second paging messages during a corresponding traffic interval.

33. The machine-readable medium of claim 29, the machine-executable instructions further comprise:

generating a third paging message that designates a fourth peer as an ultimate destination; and

directly transmitting the third paging message to a third peer for routing to the fourth peer.

34. The machine-readable medium of claim 29, the machine-executable instructions further comprise synchronizing a paging interval during which the first paging message is received and the second paging message is transmitted with the first peer and the second peer based upon an obtained signal.

35. In a wireless communication system, an apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

obtain a first paging message from a first peer;

assess that the first paging message is designated to be routed to a second peer; and

transfer a second paging message to the second peer, the second paging message being related to the first paging message.