SERVICE DISCOVERY PROTOCOL ENHANCEMENT

• US 20100274874A1
• Filed: 05/01/2009
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: REUNAMAKI, Jukka
• Application Number:
  US12/434,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20100274874A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

A system for facilitating access to service-related information via a service discovery protocol (SDP) defined in an initial transport. The initial transport may be employed in establishing a link with at least one other apparatus. An SDP may then be utilized in order to determine the services that are available on the at least one other apparatus. Service information may further comprise information on complimentary transports that are usable with a service (e.g., transports in addition to the initial transport). If complimentary transports are available, a determination may be made amongst the available transports (e.g., initial and complimentary transports) as to which is more appropriate to employ when using the service.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

establishing a link to a remote apparatus using an initial transport;

receiving at least one service discovery protocol record from the remote apparatus via the initial transport, wherein the at least one service discovery protocol record identifies services in the remote apparatus that are available via the initial transport and any complimentary transports that are also usable with each of the identified services;

selecting at least one of the available services; and

if any complimentary transports are identified in the at least one service discovery protocol record for the selected service, determining whether to use the initial transport or at least one of the complimentary transports when accessing the selected service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial transport is Bluetooth and the complimentary transports comprise at least wireless local area networking (WLAN).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification of any complimentary transports comprises one or more personal area network (PAN) attributes defining at least one complementary transport that is usable with the selected service.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to use the initial transport or at least one of the complimentary transports comprises determining which transports are more appropriate for use based on planned activities to be conducted using the selected service.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising employing the initial transport when no complementary transports are identified.

6. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable medium, comprising:

computer program code configured to establish a link to a remote apparatus using an initial transport;

computer program code configured to receive at least one service discovery protocol record from the remote apparatus via the initial transport, wherein the at least one service discovery protocol record identifies services in the remote apparatus that are available via the initial transport and any complimentary transports that are also usable with each of the identified services;

computer program code configured to select at least one of the available services; and

computer program code configured to, if any complimentary transports are identified in the at least one service discovery protocol record for the selected service, determine whether to use the initial transport or at least one of the complimentary transports when accessing the selected service.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the initial transport is Bluetooth and the complimentary transports comprise at least wireless local area networking (WLAN).

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the identification of any complimentary transports comprises one or more personal area network (PAN) attributes defining at least one complementary transport that is usable with the selected service.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein determining whether to use the initial transport or at least one of the complimentary transports comprises determining which transports are more appropriate for use based on planned activities to be conducted using the selected service.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising employing the initial transport when no complementary transports are identified.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including executable instructions, the at least one memory and executable instructions being configured to, in cooperation with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following;

establish a link to a remote apparatus using an initial transport;

receive at least one service discovery protocol record from the remote apparatus via the initial transport, wherein the at least one service discovery protocol record identifies services in the remote apparatus that are available via the initial transport and any complimentary transports that are also usable with each of the identified services;

select at least one of the available services; and

if any complimentary transports are identified in the at least one service discovery protocol record for the selected service, determine whether to use the initial transport or at least one of the complimentary transports when accessing the selected service.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the initial transport is Bluetooth and the complimentary transports comprise at least wireless local area networking (WLAN).

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the identification of any complimentary transports comprises one or more personal area network (PAN) attributes defining at least one complementary transport that is usable with the selected service.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein determining whether to use the initial transport or at least one of the complimentary transports comprises determining which transports are more appropriate for use based on planned activities to be conducted using the selected service.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising employing the initial transport when no complementary transports are identified.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

means for establishing a link to a remote apparatus using an initial transport;

means for receiving at least one service discovery protocol record from the remote apparatus via the initial transport, wherein the at least one service discovery protocol record identifies services in the remote apparatus that are available via the initial transport and any complimentary transports that are also usable with each of the identified services;

means for selecting at least one of the available services; and

means for, if any complimentary transports are identified in the at least one service discovery protocol record for the selected service, determining whether to use the initial transport or at least one of the complimentary transports when accessing the selected service.