LIMITING WIRELESS DISCOVERY RANGE

• US 20150271759A1
• Filed: 06/04/2015
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Abraham, Santosh Paul, Cherian, George, Sampath, Hemanth, De Vegt, Rolf, Merlin, Simone, Raissinia, Alireza, Sridhara, Vinay
• Application Number:
  US14/730,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20150271759A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/021 in wireless networks with changing topologies, e.g. ad-hoc networks self-organizing networks H04W84/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• 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

Systems and methods of limiting wireless discovery range are described. A method may include determining, at a first device, a discovery range threshold that limits a distance from the first device at which a second device is operative to decode a discovery message. The method may include adjusting a transmission attribute at the first device based on the discovery range threshold. The method may include sending the discovery message in accordance with the adjusted transmission attribute.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, at a first device, a discovery range threshold that limits a distance from the first device at which a second device is operative to decode a discovery message;

adjusting a transmission attribute at the first device based on the discovery range threshold; and

sending the discovery message in accordance with the adjusted transmission attribute.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission attribute includes a transmit power level, a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), or any combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the discovery message is included in an information element of an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 beacon.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the discovery message is included in a management action frame.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising encoding information to be displayed by the second device into the discovery message.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising encoding a uniform resource locator (URL) to be navigated to by the second device into the discovery message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the discovery range threshold at the first device includes receiving data indicating the discovery range threshold from a device other than the first device.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to;

determine, at a first device, a discovery range threshold that limits a distance from the first device at which a second device is operative to decode a discovery message;

adjust a transmission attribute at the first device based on the discovery range threshold; and

send the discovery message in accordance with the adjusted transmission attribute.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first device comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN) device, an access point, or any combination thereof.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transmission attribute includes a transmit power level, a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), or any combination thereof.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the discovery message is included in an information element of an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 beacon.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the discovery message is included in a management action frame.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to encode, into the discovery message, information to be displayed by the second device.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to encode, into the discovery message, a uniform resource locator (URL) to be navigated to by the second device.

15. A method comprising:

receiving at a second device a discovery message from a first device;

determining a distance between the second device and the first device based on at least one attribute of the discovery message;

based on determining that the distance is within a discovery range threshold, processing the discovery message; and

based on determining that the distance is outside the discovery range threshold, discarding the discovery message.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one attribute of the discovery message includes a received signal strength indication (RSSI).

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining the distance comprises searching a table that associates RSSI values with expected distances.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising storing the table at the second device.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one attribute of the discovery message includes a transmit power, and wherein the discovery message includes an indicator of the transmit power.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one attribute of the discovery message includes a modulation and coding scheme (MCS).

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the discovery range threshold is included in the discovery message.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising, when the distance is within the discovery range threshold, displaying at least a portion of the processed discovery message at the second device.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising, when the distance is within the discovery range threshold, navigating to a uniform resource locator (URL) in the processed discovery message via an application executed at the second device.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to;

receive at a second device a discovery message from a first device;

determine a distance between the second device and the first device based on at least one attribute of the discovery message;

based on determining that the distance is within a discovery range threshold, process the discovery message; and

based on determining that the distance is outside the discovery range threshold, discard the discovery message.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the at least one attribute of the discovery message includes a received signal strength indication (RSSI).

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a table that associates RSSI values with expected distances and that is stored at the second device.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to determine the distance by searching the table.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the at least one attribute of the discovery message includes a transmit power, and wherein the discovery message includes an indicator of the transmit power.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the discovery range threshold is included in the discovery message.

30. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the second device comprises a mobile telephone, a portable computing device, a tablet computing device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable media player, or any combination thereof.