METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING PEER-TO-PEER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN STATIONS WITHIN A BASIC SERVICE SET

• US 20120076049A1
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rudolf, Marian, Marinier, Paul, Roy, Vincent, Zaki, Maged M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,452,289 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A method and system for performing peer-to-peer wireless communication between stations (STAs) within a basic service set (BSS) while maintaining connectivity with an access point (AP) in the BSS are disclosed. A source STA, an AP and a destination STA negotiate a direct link setup (DLS) channel for performing peer-to-peer communication between the source STA and the destination STA. The DLS channel may be different from a BSS channel used for communication between the AP and each of the STAs. The source STA and the destination STA then perform peer-to-peer communication on the negotiated DLS channel.

Claims

1. A method for performing peer-to-peer wireless communication between a first station (STA) and a second STA in a basic service set (BSS), the method comprising:

a first STA establishing a direct link with a second STA on a first channel, messages for setting up the direct link being exchanged between the first STA and the second STA through an access point (AP) of a BSS with which both the first STA and the second STA are associated;

the first STA negotiating with the second STA to switch a channel for the direct link to a second channel, messages for switching the channel are exchanged directly between the first STA and the second STA via the direct link on the first channel without being relayed through the AP; and

the first STA exchanging data with the second STA via the direct link on the second channel.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a request message for switching the channel indicates a switch time for switching the direct link to the second channel.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a request message for switching the channel includes a list of at least one target channel.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the list is generated by observing and evaluating channels available in the BSS.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first STA switches back and forth between the first channel and the second channel for maintaining connectivity with the AP while performing peer-to-peer communication on the second channel.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second channel is a sub-channel of the first channel.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the first STA executing a key exchange procedure with the second STA for security.

8. A station (STA) for performing peer-to-peer wireless communication with a peer STA in a basic service set (BSS), the STA comprising:

a transceiver for transmitting and receiving messages; and

a controller configured to establish a direct link with a peer STA on a first channel, negotiate with the peer STA to switch a channel for the direct link to a second channel, and exchange data with the peer STA via the direct link on the second channel,

wherein messages for setting up the direct link are exchanged with the peer STA through an access point (AP) of a BSS with which both the STA and the peer STA are associated, and messages for switching the channel are exchanged directly with the peer STA via the direct link on the first channel without being relayed through the AP.

9. The STA of claim 8 wherein the controller is configured to send a request message for switching the channel indicating a switch time for switching the direct link to the second channel.

10. The STA of claim 8 wherein the controller is configured to send a request message for switching the channel including a list of at least one target channel.

11. The STA of claim 10 wherein the controller is configured to generate the list by observing and evaluating channels available in the BSS.

12. The STA of claim 8 wherein the controller is configured to switch back and forth between the first channel and the second channel for maintaining connectivity with the AP while performing peer-to-peer communication on the second channel.

13. The STA of claim 8 wherein the second channel is a sub-channel of the first channel.

14. The STA of claim 8 wherein the controller is configured to execute a key exchange procedure with the peer STA for security.