MANAGING DISCOVERY IN A WIRELESS PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK

• US 20090287827A1
• Filed: 05/19/2008
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sampath, Ashwin, Horn, Gavin Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 9,848,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for managing discovery in wireless peer-to-peer networks. Various discovery procedures may be implemented by supporting a broadcast of a plurality of discovery signals spaced apart in time by silent periods from a peer node and changing the duration of at least one of the silent periods.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

a processing system configured to support a broadcast of a plurality of discovery signals spaced apart in time by silent periods, the processing system being further configured to change the duration of at least one of the silent periods.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to receive a discovery signal from one or more nodes.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the processing system is further configured to support a connection to one of the one or more nodes in response to receiving a discovery signal from said one of the one or more nodes.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the processing system is further configured to notify a remote node in response to receiving a discovery signal from said one of the one or more nodes so that the remote node can establish a connection to one of the one or more nodes.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the processing system is further configured to determine whether a discovery signal received from one of the one or more nodes belongs to a specific set of nodes.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the processing system is further configured to determine whether a discovery signal received from one of the one or more nodes belongs to a specific set of nodes based on information received from a server.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the processing system is further configured to provide a message to the server relating to a location of the apparatus and to receive the information from the server in response to the message.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to enter a sleep mode during at least a portion of each of the silent periods.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to determine a location of the apparatus and change the duration of said at least one of the silent periods based on that determination.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to provide information to a server relating to a location of the apparatus and change the duration of said at least one of the silent periods based on a response from the server.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to decrease the duration of said at least one of the silent periods as the apparatus moves from a location outside a radio range of one or more nodes to a location within the radio range of the one or more nodes.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the processing system is further configured to determine that the apparatus is moving from the location outside the radio range of the one or more nodes to the location within the radio range of the one or more nodes based on a discovery signal received from each of at least one of the one or more nodes.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the processing system is further configured to determine that the apparatus is moving from the location outside the radio range of the one or more nodes to the location within the radio range of the one or more nodes based on information received from a server.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to increase the duration of said at least one of the silent periods in response to discovering at least one of the one or more nodes if the apparatus is in a radio range of the one or more nodes.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to increase the duration of said at least one of the silent periods in response to discovering all of the one or more nodes if the apparatus is in a radio range of the one or more nodes.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a power source, wherein the processing system is further configured to change the duration of said at least one of the silent periods as a function of the power source.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter having a transmission power, wherein the processing system is further configured to change the duration of said at least one of the silent periods as a function of the transmission power.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to change durations of the silent periods between the discovery signals such that the durations for the silent periods within a period of time are different.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the duration for each of the silent periods within the period of time is randomly changed.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the duration for each of the silent periods within the period of time follows a linear, polynomial, or exponential function.

21. A method of wireless communications from an apparatus, comprising:

supporting a broadcast of a plurality of discovery signals spaced apart in time by silent periods; and

changing the duration of at least one of the silent periods.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising receiving a discovery signal from one or more nodes.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising supporting a connection to one of the one or more nodes in response to receiving a discovery signal from said one of the one or more nodes.

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising notifying a remote node in response to receiving a discovery signal from said one of the one or more nodes so that the remote node can establish a connection to one of the one or more nodes.

25. The method of claim 22 further comprising determining whether a discovery signal received from one of the one or more nodes belongs to a specific set of nodes.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the determining of whether a discovery signal received from one of the one or more nodes belongs to a specific set of nodes is based on information received from a server.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising providing a message to the server relating to a location of the apparatus and receiving the information from the server in response to the message.

28. The method of claim 21 further comprising entering a sleep mode during at least a portion of each of the silent periods.

29. The method of claim 21 further comprising determining a location of the apparatus, wherein the duration of said at least one of the silent periods is changed based on that determination.

30. The method of claim 21 further comprising providing information to a server relating to a location of the apparatus, wherein the duration of said at least one of the silent periods is changed based on a response from the server.

31. The method of claim 21 wherein the duration of said at least one of the silent periods is decreased as the apparatus moves from a location outside a radio range of one or more nodes to a location within the radio range of the one or more nodes.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising determining that the apparatus is moving from the location outside the radio range of the one or more nodes to the location within the radio range of the one or more nodes based on a discovery signal received from each of at least one of the one or more nodes.

33. The method of claim 31 further comprising determining that the apparatus is moving from the location outside the radio range of the one or more nodes to the location within the radio range of the one or more nodes based on information received from a server.

34. The method of claim 21 wherein the duration of said at least one of the silent periods is increased in response to discovering at least one of the one or more nodes if the apparatus is in a radio range of the one or more nodes.

35. The method of claim 21 wherein the duration of said at least one of the silent periods is increased in response to discovering all of the one or more nodes if the apparatus is in a radio range of the one or more nodes.

36. The method of claim 21 wherein the apparatus comprises a power source, wherein the duration of said at least one of the silent periods is changed as a function of the power source.

37. The method of claim 21 wherein the apparatus further comprises a transmitter having a transmission power, wherein the duration of said at least one of the silent periods as a function of the transmission power.

38. The method of claim 21 wherein durations of the silent periods between the discovery signals within a period of time are different.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the duration for each of the silent periods within the period of time is randomly changed.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the duration for each of the silent periods within the period of time follows a linear, polynomial, or exponential function.

41. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

means for supporting a broadcast of a plurality of discovery signals spaced apart in time by silent periods; and

means for changing the duration of at least one of the silent periods.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 further comprising means for receiving a discovery signal from one or more nodes.

43. The apparatus of claim 42 further comprising means for supporting a connection to one of the one or more nodes in response to receiving a discovery signal from said one of the one or more nodes.

44. The apparatus of claim 42 further comprising means for notifying a remote node in response to receiving a discovery signal from said one of the one or more nodes so that the remote node can establish a connection to one of the one or more nodes.

45. The apparatus of claim 42 further comprising means for determining whether a discovery signal received from one of the one or more nodes belongs to a specific set of nodes.

46. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein the means for determining whether a discovery signal received from one of the one or more nodes belongs to a specific set of nodes is configured to make such determination based on information received from a server.

47. The apparatus of claim 46 further comprising means for providing a message to the server relating to a location of the apparatus and means for receiving the information from the server in response to the message.

48. The apparatus of claim 41 further comprising means for entering a sleep mode during at least a portion of each of the silent periods.

49. The apparatus of claim 41 further comprising means for determining a location of the apparatus, wherein the means for changing the duration of at least one of the silent periods is configured to make such change based on that determination.

50. The apparatus of claim 41 further comprising means for providing information to a server relating to a location of the apparatus, wherein the means for changing the duration of at least one of the silent periods is configured to make such change based on a response from the server.

51. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the means for changing the duration of at least one of the silent periods is configured to decrease such duration as the apparatus moves from a location outside a radio range of one or more nodes to a location within the radio range of the one or more nodes.

52. The apparatus of claim 51 further comprising means for determining that the apparatus is moving from the location outside the radio range of the one or more nodes to the location within the radio range of the one or more nodes based on a discovery signal received from each of at least one of the one or more nodes.

53. The apparatus of claim 51 further comprising means for determining that the apparatus is moving from the location outside the radio range of the one or more nodes to the location within the radio range of the one or more nodes based on information received from a server.

54. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the means for changing the duration of at least one of the silent periods is configured to increase such duration in response to discovering at least one of the one or more nodes if the apparatus is in a radio range of the one or more nodes.

55. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the means for changing the duration of at least one of the silent periods is configured to increase such duration in response to discovering all of the one or more nodes if the apparatus is in a radio range of the one or more nodes.

56. The apparatus of claim 41 further comprises means for providing power to the apparatus, wherein the means for changing the duration of at least one of the silent periods is configured to change such duration as a function of the power source.

57. The apparatus of claim 41 further comprising means for transmitting a signal at a transmission power, wherein the means for changing the duration of at least one of the silent periods is configured to change such duration as a function of the transmission power.

58. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the means for changing the duration of at least one of the silent periods is configured to change durations of the silent periods between the discovery signals within a period of time so that such durations are different.

59. The apparatus of claim 58 wherein the means for changing the duration of at least one of the silent periods is configured to randomly change each of such durations within the period of time is randomly changed.

60. The apparatus of claim 58 wherein the means for changing the duration of at least one of the silent periods is configured to change each of such durations within the period of time in a linear, polynomial, or exponential manner.

61. A computer-program product for communication, comprising:

a machine-readable medium comprising instructions executable by a processing system to;

support a broadcast of a plurality of discovery signals spaced apart in time by silent periods; and

change the duration of at least one of the silent periods.

62. An access terminal for wireless communications, comprising:

a processing system configured to support a broadcast of a plurality of discovery signals spaced apart in time by silent periods, the processing system being further configured to change the duration of at least one of the silent periods; and

a user interface supported by the processing system.