AUTO CONNECT IN PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK

• US 20120296986A1
• Filed: 05/20/2011
• Published: 11/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hassan, Amer A., Desai, Mitesh K., Roychoudhury, Trideepraj, Sankaranarayan, Mukund, Filgueiras, Henrique, Clear, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,775,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A wireless device that automatically forms a connection to a remote device in accordance with a peer-to-peer protocol. The remote device may be designated as an auto-connect device for the wireless device such that, when the wireless device determines that it is in the vicinity of the auto-connect device, it can re-form a connection to the remote device based on stored information for re-establishing connections among a persistent group of devices, but without any express user input. When a user requests that the wireless device perform a function that involves interaction with an auto-connect device, that function may be performed with the delay associated with forming a connection. Any of multiple techniques may be employed for identifying devices designated as auto-connect devices and for determining when the wireless device and a remote, auto-connect devices are in close proximity.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wireless computing device, the method comprising:

identifying an auto-connect device; and

transmitting, based on the identifying, messages formatted in accordance with a peer-to-peer protocol to elicit a response from the auto-connect device in accordance with the protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the device as an auto-connect device comprises identifying a device is associated with a characteristic associated with auto-connect functionality.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the device as an auto-connect device comprises identifying that a specific device has been designated as an auto-connect device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

transmitting the messages comprises transmitting the messages in accordance with a pattern in which the time between transmission of messages lengthens as time passes without a response from the auto-connect device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the auto-connect device comprises an auto-connect device of a plurality of auto-connect devices;

the wireless computing device comprises a plurality of ports, each port adapted for peer to peer communication; and

transmitting the messages comprises transmitting, through the plurality of ports, messages formatted in accordance with the peer-to-peer protocol to elicit responses from the auto-connect devices in accordance with the protocol.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

when a number of devices of the plurality of auto-connect devices exceeds a number of ports of the plurality of ports, transmitting through the plurality of ports comprises, in each of a plurality of segments of a scan pattern, transmitting queries for a subset of the plurality of auto-connect devices through the plurality of ports; and

in different ones of the plurality of segments, queries for different subsets are transmitted.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

identifying the device as an auto-connect device comprises, at a first time, to executing computer-executable instructions configured to control the wireless device to query for a type of remote device associated with auto-connect devices; and

transmitting, based on the identifying, comprises transmitting at a second time without an express user command.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

identifying the device as an auto-connect device comprises reading an identifier of the device from a data store; and

transmitting, based on the identifying, comprises transmitting without an express user command.

9. A method of operating a wireless computing device, the method comprising:

with at least one processor, identifying a plurality of auto-connect devices; and

transmitting, based on the identifying, a plurality of queries to each of the plurality of auto-connect devices in accordance with a scan pattern.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising:

when a device of the plurality of auto-connect devices responds, forming, without an express user command, a connection with the responding device in accordance with a peer-to-peer protocol.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the wireless device comprises a plurality of ports configured for peer-to-peer communication, and

transmitting a query to each of the plurality of auto-connect devices comprises transmitting queries through the plurality of ports.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

in accordance with the scan pattern, a time between queries to each device increases over time when the device does not respond to a query.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the scan pattern for each device comprises a plurality of segments, each segment comprising a plurality of queries to the device; and

transmitting a plurality of queries to each of the plurality of remote devices comprises, during each segment of the scan pattern, transmitting a plurality of queries, the queries within each segment being spaced apart by a uniform time, with the spacing being longer in later segments than in earlier segments.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

a spacing between segments is longer for later segments than for earlier segments.

15. A computer storage medium comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, perform a method of operating a wireless device, the method comprising:

accessing information representing each of a plurality of devices designated for auto-connection, the information associating a priority with each of the plurality of devices;

selecting at least one of the plurality of devices based on the priorities associated with the plurality of devices;

scanning for the at least one selected device; and

automatically forming a peer-to-peer connection based on the scanning detecting a device of the at least one selected device.

16. The computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

scanning for the at least one selected device is performed in accordance with a scan pattern; and

selecting at least one of the plurality of devices based on the priorities comprises ordering in the scan pattern queries to the plurality of devices in accordance with the priorities of the respective devices.

17. The computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

scanning for the selected remote device comprises scanning for each of a plurality of remote devices through a plurality of ports; and

selecting at least one of the plurality of devices based on the priorities comprises allocating a port of the plurality of ports for scanning for the selected device.

18. The computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

scanning for the selected device is performed in accordance with a scanning pattern; and

selecting at least one of the plurality of devices based on the priorities comprises establishing a frequency with which a query to the selected device occurs in the scan pattern based on the priorities.

19. The computer storage medium of claim 18, wherein:

the scanning pattern comprises a plurality of segments, each segment comprising a query to each of a plurality of remote devices; and

establishing a frequency with which a query to the selected device occurs comprises selecting, based on the priorities, a number of queries to the selected remote device in each of a plurality of segments.

20. The computer storage medium of claim 18, wherein:

the scanning pattern comprises a plurality of segments, each segment comprising a plurality of queries to a device of the plurality of remote devices; and

establishing a frequency with which a query to the selected device occurs comprises selecting, based on the priorities, a frequency with which a segment comprising queries to the selected device occurs.