WAN ASSISTED MONITORING AND COMMUNICATIONS METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES
First Claim
1. A method of operating a first wireless terminal, comprising:
- sending a request via a wide area network uplink communications channel to a first base station requesting peer to peer communications discovery assistance, said request including information identifying peer to peer communications discovery information the first wireless terminal is seeking to detect; and
receiving, via a wide area network downlink communications channel, from a responding base station, a response to said request indicating the detection of said peer to peer communications discovery information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for improved monitoring and tracking of communications devices, e.g., peer to peer devices, using assistance from WAN elements such as base stations, are described. In some embodiments, a wireless terminal requests peer to peer communications discovery assistance from one or more base stations. In some embodiments, the request includes information identifying peer communications discovery information the wireless terminal is seeking to detect. In some embodiments, upon receiving the request, nearby base stations listen to the common discovery channel and upon detecting the specified discovery information, send a response indicating the detection of the discovery information and a proximate location of the announcing peer device, to the wireless terminal. The wireless terminal can use the received information to locate and page the announcing peer via the base station serving the announcing peer. Location tracking of peer devices is facilitated and peer-to-peer communication setup time may be reduced.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of operating a first wireless terminal, comprising:
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sending a request via a wide area network uplink communications channel to a first base station requesting peer to peer communications discovery assistance, said request including information identifying peer to peer communications discovery information the first wireless terminal is seeking to detect; and receiving, via a wide area network downlink communications channel, from a responding base station, a response to said request indicating the detection of said peer to peer communications discovery information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A first wireless terminal, comprising:
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means for sending a request via a wide area network uplink communications channel to a first base station requesting peer to peer communications discovery assistance, said request including information identifying peer to peer communications discovery information the first wireless terminal is seeking to detect; and means for receiving, via a wide area network downlink communications channel, from a responding base station, a response to said request indicating the detection of said peer to peer communications discovery information. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A first wireless terminal, comprising:
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at least one processor configured to; send a request via a wide area network uplink communications channel to a first base station requesting peer to peer communications discovery assistance, said request including information identifying peer to peer communications discovery information the first wireless terminal is seeking to detect; and receive, via a wide area network downlink communications channel, from a responding base station, a response to said request indicating the detection of said peer to peer communications discovery information; and a memory coupled to said at least one processor. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer program product for use in a first wireless terminal, comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising; code for causing at least one computer to send a request via a wide area network uplink communications channel to a first base station requesting peer to peer communications discovery assistance, said request including information identifying peer to peer communications discovery information the first wireless terminal is seeking to detect; and code for causing the at least one computer to receive, via a wide area network downlink communications channel, from a responding base station, a response to said request indicating the detection of said peer to peer communications discovery information.
Specification