METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISCOVERING NEIGHBOR NODES IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORK

• US 20130331097A1
• Filed: 05/15/2013
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kang, Hyun-Jeong, Taori, Rakesh
• Granted Patent: US 10,306,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/023 Limited or focused flooding to selected areas of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method for processing a first node to configure a neighbor network in a wireless communication system including the first node and one or more second nodes neighboring the first node. The method includes generating discovery information; and broadcasting the generated discovery information to one or more of the second nodes. The discovery information includes information of the first node, an indicator indicating whether to receive the discovery information and accept the relay of the received discovery information to other nodes, and a hop limit indicating the number of available relays of the discovery information. A value of the indicator is set through an input of a user.

Claims

1. A method for processing a first node to configure a neighbor network in a wireless communication system including the first node and one or more second nodes neighboring the first node, the method comprising:

generating discovery information; and

broadcasting the generated discovery information to one or more of the second nodes,

wherein the discovery information includes information of the first node, an indicator indicating whether to receive the discovery information and whether to accept a relay of the received discovery information to other nodes, and a hop limit indicating a number of available relays of the discovery information, and

wherein a value of the indicator is set through an input of a user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering one or more of the second nodes that respond to the discovery information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a list indicating a registration or non-registration of the second nodes to the user; and

requesting of the user whether to set a value of the indicator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the hop limit is predetermined by a service provider or an operator, or is set by an input of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein broadcasting the generated discovery information to one or more of the second nodes comprises broadcasting the generated discovery information to nodes among the second nodes that have a hop limit smaller than a hop limit of the first node.

6. A method for processing a second node to configure a neighbor network in a wireless communication system including a first node and the second node neighboring the first node, the method comprising:

receiving first discovery information broadcast from the first node;

in response to reception of the first discovery information, requesting of a user of the second node whether to register the first node and whether to relay the first discovery information;

registering the first node in response to the user of the second node selecting to register the first node; and

broadcasting second discovery information to a third node neighboring the second node in response to selecting to relay the first discovery information by the user of the second node and when an indicator included in the first discovery information indicates acceptance of relay,

wherein the first discovery information includes information of the first node, an indicator indicating whether to receive the first discovery information and whether to accept a relay of the received first discovery information to other nodes, and a hop limit indicating a number of available relays of the first discovery information, and

wherein a value of the indicator is set through an input of a user of the first node.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first discovery information further includes information of one or more neighbor nodes selected by the user of the first node.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the hop limit is predetermined by a service provider or an operator, or is set by an input of the user.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the second discovery information includes information of the first node, the indicator, and a hop limit smaller by one than the hop limit included in the first discovery information.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising transmitting a response message to the first node in response to the user of the second node selecting to register the first node.

11. An apparatus of a first node, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory; and

one or more programs stored in the memory;

wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute instructions of the one or more programs to cause the apparatus to generate discovery information and broadcast the generated discovery information from a first node to one or more of second nodes neighboring the first node,

wherein the discovery information includes information of the first node, an indicator indicating whether to receive the discovery information and whether to accept a relay of the received discovery information to other nodes, and a hop limit indicating a number of available relays of the discovery information, and

wherein a value of the indicator is set through an input of a user.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute instructions of the one or more programs to cause the apparatus to register one or more of the second nodes that respond to the discovery information

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute instructions of the one or more programs to cause the apparatus to provide a list indicating a registration or non-registration of the second nodes to the user, and request of the user whether to set a value of the indicator.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the hop limit is predetermined by a service provider or an operator, or is set by an input of the user.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein in broadcasting the generated discovery information to one or more of the second nodes the at least one processor is further configured to execute instructions of the one or more programs to cause the apparatus to broadcast the generated discovery information to nodes among the second nodes that have a hop limit smaller than a hop limit of the first node.

16. An apparatus of a second node, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory; and

one or more programs stored in the memory;

wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute instructions of the one or more programs to cause the apparatus to;

receive first discovery information broadcast from the first node,

request of a user of the second node whether to register the first node and whether to relay the first discovery information in response to reception of the first discovery information,

register the first node in response to the user of the second node selecting to register the first node, and

broadcast second discovery information to a third node neighboring the second node in response to selecting to relay the first discovery information by the user of the second node and when an indicator included in the first discovery information indicates acceptance of relay,

wherein the first discovery information includes information of the first node, an indicator indicating whether to receive the first discovery information and whether to accept a relay of the received first discovery information to other nodes, and a hop limit indicating a number of available relays of the first discovery information, and

wherein a value of the indicator is set through an input of a user of the first node.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first discovery information further includes information of one or more neighbor nodes selected by the user of the first node.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the hop limit is predetermined by a service provider or an operator, or is set by an input of the user.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second discovery information includes information of the first node, the indicator, and a hop limit smaller by one than the hop limit included in the first discovery information.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute instructions of the one or more programs to cause the apparatus to transmit a response message to the first node in response to the user of the second node selecting the registration of the first node.