COMMUNICATION NETWORK HAVING PROXIMITY SERVICE DISCOVERY AND DEVICE SELF-ORGANIZATION

• US 20140286193A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Oates, Noel James, Tang, Yuqiang, GHABOOSI, Kaveh, Vemulapalli, Manish
• Granted Patent: US 9,532,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/065 Continuous authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

Methods and systems for establishing and/or maintaining communication cluster environments that support a plurality of communication devices. The plurality of communication devices can be configured to communicate with one another utilizing the communication cluster environment. The communication within the communication cluster environment can include device-to-device communications between two or more of the plurality of communication devices. Further, the device-to-device communications can utilizes one or more non-3GPP wireless communication protocols and/or standards.

Claims

1. A server, comprising:

a memory that stores a clusterization profile; and

a controller coupled to the memory and configured to;

receive an activation request to activate a cluster defined by the clusterization profile;

activate the cluster based on the activation request; and

notify a communication device identified in the clusterization profile of the activation of the cluster.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

authenticate the activation request based on the clusterization profile, wherein the activation of the cluster is based on the authentication of the activation request.

3. The server of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a deactivation request to deactivate the cluster defined in the clusterization profile;

deactivate the cluster based on the deactivation request; and

notify the communication device of the deactivation of the cluster.

4. The server of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive an update request to update the clusterization profile;

update the clusterization profile based on the update request; and

notify the communication device of the updating of the clusterization profile.

5. The server of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive the clusterization profile from another communication device defined in the clusterization profile;

store the clusterization profile in the memory; and

notify the communication device identified in the clusterization profile of the clusterization profile.

6. The server of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a subscription request from the communication device to subscribe to the clusterization profile;

subscribe the communication device to the clusterization profile; and

notify the communication device of the subscription to the clusterization profile.

7. The server of claim 1, wherein the clusterization profile includes:

a location of the cluster defined by the clusterization profile;

at least one member of the cluster; and

one or more services associated with the at least one member.

8. A communication device, comprising:

a transceiver configured to communicate with a server having a clusterization profile; and

a controller coupled to the transceiver and configured to;

subscribe to a cluster defined in the clusterization profile;

receive an activation notification indicating that the cluster has been activated and a location of the cluster;

determine a location of the communication device;

compare the determined location to the cluster location; and

search for the activated cluster based on the comparison of the determined location and the cluster location.

9. The communication device of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

join the cluster based on a search result of the search.

10. The communication device of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine another communication device identified in the clusterization profile that has joined the cluster; and

control the transceiver to communicate with the other communication device.

11. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine service information associated with the other communication device based on the clusterization profile; and

control the transceiver to provide information identified in the service information to the other communication device.

12. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine service information associated with the other communication device based on the clusterization profile; and

request information identified in the service information from the other communication device.

13. The communication device of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a difference between the determined location and the cluster location defined in the clusterization profile; and

search for the activated cluster if the difference between the determined location and the cluster location is less than a predetermined threshold value.

14. The communication device of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a deactivation notification indicating that the subscribed cluster has been deactivated; and

leave the deactivated cluster based on the deactivation notification.

15. The communication device of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive an update notification indicating that the clusterization profile has been updated;

generate an update acknowledgement in response to the update notification; and

control the transceiver to communicate the update acknowledgement to the server.

16. The communication device of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

generate a subscription request for the clusterization profile; and

control the transceiver to communicate the subscription request to the server to subscribe to the clusterization profile.

17. A communication method utilizing a cluster configured to support a plurality of communication devices, the method comprising:

receiving a clusterization profile corresponding to the cluster;

storing the clusterization profile in a memory of a server;

notifying a first communication device of the plurality of communication devices of the receipt of the clusterization profile;

receiving, from the first communication device, a subscription request to subscribe the first communication device to the cluster associated with the clusterization profile;

receiving a request to activate the cluster from a second communication device of the plurality of communication devices; and

notifying the first communication device of an activation of the cluster, the activation of the cluster being in response to the request.

18. The communication method of claim 17, wherein the receiving of the clusterization profile comprises:

receiving the clusterization profile from the second communication device of the plurality of communication devices.

19. The communication method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving, from the second communication device, a deactivation request to deactivate the cluster; and

notifying the first communication device of a deactivation of the cluster, the deactivation of the cluster being in response to the deactivation request.

20. The communication method of claim 17, wherein the clusterization profile comprises:

a location of the cluster;

member information of the cluster that includes the first and the second communication devices;

first service information associated with the first communication device; and

second service information associated with the second communication device.