Methods and apparatus for establishing communications between devices with differing capabilities

• US 20090092075A1
• Filed: 01/10/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Corson, M. Scott, Li, Junyi
• Granted Patent: US 8,804,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0602 Systems characterised by the synchronising information used
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2601 Multicarrier modulation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/261 Details of reference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0016 Time-frequency-code
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0035 Resource allocation in a cooperative multipoint environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/16 Performing reselection for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/244 using a network of reference devices, e.g. beaconing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 : adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 : adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for establishing communications between devices, e.g., mobile communications devices in an ad hoc network, with differing capabilities are described. A device which is capable of supporting multiple protocols in addition to a protocol used to communicate device capability information forms communications links with first and second devices which do not have the ability to form communications links directly between one another, e.g., because of they do not support the same protocols. Once the links are established the first and second devices can communicate via the third communications device. In some embodiments, each of the first, second and third devices support a first communications protocol which is suitable for communicating device capability information but is unsuitable for exchanging user data. The ability to discover other devices and there capabilities facilitates the creation of an ad hoc network.

Claims

1. A method of operating a third wireless communications device supporting a first communications protocol, a second communications protocol and a third communications protocol, the first, second and third communications protocols being different, the method comprising:

receiving device capability information from at least one of a first wireless communications device and a second wireless communications device, said device capability information being communicated using the first communications protocol;

operating as a communications intermediary for communications between the first and second wireless communications devices, the first wireless communications device supporting the first and second communications protocol, the second wireless communications device supporting the first and third communications protocols.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first communications protocol is a low bit rate protocol which supports a maximum bit rate less than 1/1000^th the bit rate supported by either of the first and second communications protocols.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first communications protocol is a beacon signal based communications protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to operating as a communications intermediary, transmitting a beacon signal used to communicate device capability information to other communications devices, said communicated device capability information indicating that the third wireless communications device is able to support said second and third communications protocols.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving device capability information includes:

receiving from said first communications device at least a portion of a beacon signal indicating that said first communications device is capable of supporting said second communications protocol.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving device capability information further includes:

receiving from said second communications device at least a portion of a beacon signal indicating that said second communications device is capable of supporting said third communications protocol.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

establishing a communications link between said first wireless communications device and said third wireless communications device using said second communications protocol; and

establishing a communications link between said second wireless communications device and said third wireless communications device using said third communications protocol.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said first, second, and third communications devices support a fourth protocol, said fourth protocol being a protocol corresponding to a higher communications layer than a communications layer to which said second and third communications protocols correspond, said second and third communications protocols corresponding to the same communications layer.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein operating as a communications intermediately includes providing network layer connectivity between said first and second communications devices using said first and second communications links to communicate network layer signals.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said first, second, and third communications devices support a fourth protocol, said fourth protocol being a network layer protocol being used to communicate said network layer signals.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said second and third communications protocols are one of MAC layer protocols and physical layer protocols.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said fourth protocol is an IP protocol.

13. The method of claim 4, further comprising, while operating as a communications intermediary:

transmitting additional beacon symbol bursts used to communicate device capability information to other communications devices, said communicated device capability information indicating that the third device is able to support said second and third communications protocols.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein operating as a communications intermediary includes:

operating as a communications gateway by converting between said second and third protocols while relaying user data between said first and second devices.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said second and third communications protocols are two different ones from the group of protocols including a CDMA protocol, a GSM protocol, and an OFDM protocol.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said second and third communications protocols are two different OFDM protocols.

17. The method of claim 4,

wherein said first, second and third wireless communications device are part of an ad hoc network, and

wherein each of the first, second and third wireless communications devices are handsets, the first and second wireless communications devices lacking the ability to support high bit rate communications directly between the first and second devices due to the first device lacking support for the third communications protocol and the second device lacking support for the second communications protocol.

18. A third wireless communications device supporting a first communications protocol, a second communications protocol and a third communications protocol, the first, second and third communications protocols being different, the device comprising:

a receiver for receiving device capability information from at least one of a first wireless communications device and a second wireless communications device, said device capability information being communicated using the first communications protocol;

a communications forwarding module for relaying communications between the first and second wireless communications devices, the first wireless communications device supporting the first and second communications protocol, the second wireless communications device supporting the first and third communications protocols.

19. The third wireless communications device of claim 18, wherein said first communications protocol is a low bit rate protocol which supports a maximum bit rate less than 1/1000^th the bit rate supported by either of the first and second communications protocols.

20. The third wireless communications device of claim 18, wherein said first communications protocol is a beacon signal based communications protocol.

21. The third wireless communications device of claim 18, further comprising:

a storage module including stored device capability information; and

a transmission module for transmitting a beacon signal used to communicate device capability information to other communications devices, said communicated device capability information indicating that the third wireless communications device is able to support said second and third communications protocols.

22. The third wireless communications device of claim 21, wherein said stored device capability information includes device capability information about said first and second wireless devices obtained from received signals.

23. The third wireless communications device of claim 21, wherein said first, second and third communications device support a fourth protocol, said fourth protocol being a protocol corresponding to a higher communications layer than a communications layer to which said second and third communications protocols correspond, said second and third communications protocols corresponding to the same communications layer.

24. The third wireless communications device of claim 21,

further comprising a network layer connectivity module for providing network layer connectivity between said first and second communications devices using first and second communications links to communicate network layer signals.

25. The third wireless communications device of claim 24, further comprising:

a second communications protocol module for supporting a first MAC layer protocol used to communicate with said first wireless device; and

a third communication protocol module for supporting a second MAC layer protocol used to communicate with said second wireless device, said first and second MAC layer protocols being different.

26. The third wireless communications device of claim 24, further comprising:

a first physical layer communications protocol module for supporting said first communications protocol;

a second physical layer communications protocol module for supporting a second physical layer protocol used to communicate with said first wireless device; and

a third physical layer communication protocol module for supporting a third physical layer protocol used to communicate with said second wireless device, said first, second and third physical layer protocols being different.

27. The wireless communications device of claim 20, wherein said wireless communications device is a mobile handset.

28. The wireless communications device of claim 20, further comprising:

a relay tracking module for tracking communications relay services provided to other wireless communications devices.

29. A wireless communications device supporting a first communications protocol, a second communications protocol and a third communications protocol, the first, second and third communications protocols being different, the device comprising:

receiver means for receiving device capability information from at least one of a second wireless communications device and a third wireless communications device, said device capability information being communicated using the first communications protocol;

communications forwarding means for relaying communications between the second and third wireless communications devices, the second wireless communications device supporting the first and second communications protocol, the third wireless communications device supporting the first and third communications protocols.

30. The wireless communications device of claim 29, wherein said first communications protocol is a beacon signal based communications protocol.

31. The wireless communications device of claim 29, further comprising:

storage means including stored device capability information; and

transmission means for transmitting a beacon signal used to communicate device capability information to other communications devices, said communicated device capability information indicating that the wireless communications device is able to support said second and third communications protocols.

32. The wireless communications device of claim 31, wherein said stored device capability information includes device capability information about said second and third wireless devices obtained from received signals.

33. The wireless communications device of claim 31,

further comprising network layer connectivity means for providing network layer connectivity between said second and third communications devices using said first and second communications links to communicate network layer signals.

34. A computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for controlling a third wireless communications device supporting a first communications protocol, a second communications protocol and a third communications protocol, the first, second and third communications protocols being different, to implement a method of communicating with another communications device, the method comprising:

receiving device capability information from at least one of a first wireless communications device and a second wireless communications device, said device capability information being communicated using the first communications protocol;

operating as a communications intermediary for communications between the first and second wireless communications devices, the first wireless communications device supporting the first and second communications protocol, the second wireless communications device supporting the first and third communications protocols.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein said first communications protocol is a beacon signal based communications protocol.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 34, further embodying machine executable instructions for:

prior to operating as a communications intermediary, transmitting a beacon signal used to communicate device capability information to other communications devices, said communicated device capability information indicating that the third device is able to support said second and third communications protocols.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the instructions for receiving device capability information further embody machine executable instructions for:

receiving from said first communications device at least a portion of a beacon signal indicating that said first communications device is capable of supporting said second communications protocol.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 36, further embodying machine executable instructions for:

while operating as a communications intermediary, transmitting additional beacon symbol bursts used to communicate device capability information to other communications devices, said communicated device capability information indicating that the third device is able to support said second and third communications protocols.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the instructions for operating as a communications intermediary further embody machine executable instructions for:

operating as a communications gateway by converting between said second and third protocols while relaying user data between said first and second devices.

40. An apparatus comprising:

a mobile communications device processor configured to support a first communications protocol, a second communications protocol and a third communications protocol, the first, second and third communications protocols being different, the processor further configured to;

receive device capability information from at least one of a first wireless communications device and a second wireless communications device, said device capability information being communicated using the first communications protocol;

control the apparatus to operate as a communications intermediary for communications between the first and second wireless communications devices, the first wireless communications device supporting the first and second communications protocol, the second wireless communications device supporting the first and third communications protocols.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said first communications protocol is a beacon signal based communications protocol.

42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said processor is further configured to:

prior to operating as a communications intermediary, control the transmission of a beacon signal used to communicate device capability information to other communications devices, said communicated device capability information indicating that the apparatus is able to support said second and third communications protocols.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein said processor is further configured to:

receive from said first communications device at least a portion of a beacon signal indicating that said first communications device is capable of supporting said second communications protocol.

44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the apparatus is operating as a communications intermediary, said third wireless communications device processor is further configured to:

control the transmission of additional beacon symbol bursts used to communicate device capability information to other communications devices, said communicated device capability information indicating that the apparatus is able to support said second and third communications protocols.

45. The apparatus of claim 42,

wherein said apparatus is a mobile handheld communications device;

and

wherein when the apparatus is operating as a communications intermediary, said processor is further configured to;

control the apparatus to operate as a communications gateway by converting between said second and third protocols while relaying user data between said first and second devices.